Pitmaduthy Moss in Easter Ross, northern Scotland, lies in a shallow depression 4km south of the town of Tain and to the west of the A9 trunk road. It has, unusually, developed under comparatively dry climatic conditions. It is relatively undamaged, with an estimated 20 hectares of bog woodland habitat within a wider area of semi-natural habitats. A mixture of poor fen and bog communities which have strong affinities with wooded Scandinavian bogs occur here.

The Moss consists of a series of pools in a hollow bounded by drier ridges. Scattered stunted Scots pine Pinus sylvestris are present on the slightly drier areas within the hollow, and they have the slow growth pattern characteristic of bog woodland. The trees become more abundant and attain greater size on the drier ridges, where downy birch Betula pubescens, rowan Sorbus aucuparia and willows Salix spp. also occur. Willow scrub is found to the west of the site where there is a degree of nutrient enrichment. Of particular interest at Pitmaduthy Moss is the presence of white beak-sedge Rhynchospora alba, at its only Easter Ross location.

A total of 19 species of Sphagnum have been recorded here, including two species of national importance, S. imbricatum and S. fuscum. Peat stratigraphy shows evidence of truncation in the peat layers at Pitmaduthy Moss, which suggests that there may have been a history of peat cutting at the site.

The area is important breeding area for moorland and woodland birds, including osprey Pandion haliaetus. The variety of habitat across the whole site has encouraged the development of a diverse invertebrate fauna, which includes several nationally rare species such as the northern damselfly Coenagrion hastulatum.

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Targets

At the outset of the Project, there were two main threats perceived to the bog woodland at Pitmaduthy Moss. The site was considered to be under a degree of threat of drying out from the adjacent plantation of lodgepole pine Pinus contorta, and this plantation also appeared to be a seed source for invasion of the site.

Fertiliser spray drift and run-off from agricultural land directly adjacent to the northern margin of the site was thought to be causing nutrient enrichment. It was believed such enrichment could significantly increase the growth of existing trees, encourage tree regeneration and alter the vegetation structure typical of nutrient-poor bog woodland.

The hydrological survey of the site carried out in June and July of 1999 concluded that there was already a healthy semi-native pinewood buffer zone between the plantation and the bog and there was no evidence of any negative effect. Thus, it was advised that tree removal should not be an objective on this site.

The hydrological survey did, however, point to a nutrient enrichment issue caused by agricultural run-off on the north side of the site. The survey recommended that a feasibility study be undertaken to present a series of costed options as to how the problem could be mitigated. Thus the objectives for Pitmaduthy Moss were:

• The production of an Enrichment Mitigation Feasibility Study to present a series of costed options for actions aimed at alleviating the nutrient enrichment of the bog woodland.
• The protection of the site from nutrient enrichment by implementing the recommendations of the Feasibility Study.

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Management

No physical restoration work was carried out at Pitmaduthy as the hydrological survey commissioned by the Project had shown that the felling work originally proposed was not necessary. Thus Project funds for this output were diverted to other sites.

Achievements

• Completion of the Enrichment Mitigation Feasibility Study. The study recommended that the best way to prevent nutrient enrichment of the bog woodland would be to introduce a low nutrient management system for the adjacent area. Subsequently, after discussion with the landowner, a Rural Stewardship Scheme application was made to manage the area as lowland grassland for the benefit of birds. Specifically the application outlined plans to create 26 hectares of species-rich grassland and manage a further 4 hectares as extensive cropping. The presence and importance of the adjacent cSAC was a contributory factor in winning approval for the scheme. Positive feedback was received from the owner and tenant farmer for this initiative.