Allt Forgan Vegetation Survey_Dec 2023

Description

The 10,000 ha Lake Vyrnwy Estate is owned by Hafren Dyfrdwy and managed in partnership with RSPB Lake Vyrnwy. RSPB directly manage 4,800ha of uplands much of which is blanket bog. The reserve is internationally important for its features of dry heath and blanket bog. Blanket bog at Lake Vyrnwy has been degraded by historical ditches, gullies, and peat cuts. This has increased drainage, leading to heather dominance on former blanket bog. Whilst many ditches have been blocked by a previous LIFE project, more work is planned. Specifically, peatland restoration by ditch and gully damming, and peat hag reprofiling, informed by a Peatland Code baseline assessment. Our objective is to measure the magnitude of change in SAC condition and vegetation structure caused by rewetting and other interventions across this area of blanket bog. We require a baseline survey of habitat condition and vegetation structure to inform the project plans and against which to measure the effectiveness of the planned interventions.