I've always loved watching water beetles and their busy worlds, but will look at them with increased fascination after reading this. I only wish that humans could collectively see - and feel - our interconnectedness with every other life form, our utter dependence on each other. Not only for survival, but for peace, ease and joy too. Articles like this and the work you do definitely help. Thank you.
Great stuff. I am a bit envious of your amazing peat lands- I’ve written about the degraded peat bogs of Coed Y Brenin here on Substack, deeply drained in order to plant conifers that struggled anyway. Your point about re-wetting slowly is well made and crucial. On our own holding I made fascinating causeways from brash and gradually raised the water level to recreate a small wet land.
Thanks! Although that particular study was done in the Netherlands on raised bog, rather than blanket bog that we have in the Highlands, there are some important lessons there. I've seen evidence of newly restored re-wetted bog with large pools - black and unpopulated by plant or insects - and already seeing having trample damage. Their long term integrity is a risk. The bogs that have more of a mosaic of interconnecting different sized pools, are far better for wildlife, and seem to hold themselves much better. Cheers Imogen
Thanks Imogen. I really like the mosaic/tapestry/patchwork analogies. Something that can be applied to different environments and ecosystems at different scales, including food gardens. Very permaculture design!
I've always loved watching water beetles and their busy worlds, but will look at them with increased fascination after reading this. I only wish that humans could collectively see - and feel - our interconnectedness with every other life form, our utter dependence on each other. Not only for survival, but for peace, ease and joy too. Articles like this and the work you do definitely help. Thank you.
Great stuff. I am a bit envious of your amazing peat lands- I’ve written about the degraded peat bogs of Coed Y Brenin here on Substack, deeply drained in order to plant conifers that struggled anyway. Your point about re-wetting slowly is well made and crucial. On our own holding I made fascinating causeways from brash and gradually raised the water level to recreate a small wet land.
Thanks! Although that particular study was done in the Netherlands on raised bog, rather than blanket bog that we have in the Highlands, there are some important lessons there. I've seen evidence of newly restored re-wetted bog with large pools - black and unpopulated by plant or insects - and already seeing having trample damage. Their long term integrity is a risk. The bogs that have more of a mosaic of interconnecting different sized pools, are far better for wildlife, and seem to hold themselves much better. Cheers Imogen
Thanks Imogen. I really like the mosaic/tapestry/patchwork analogies. Something that can be applied to different environments and ecosystems at different scales, including food gardens. Very permaculture design!
Yes! The meadow mosaic project is like this too :-)
https://highlifehighlandranger.substack.com/p/blooming-together-the-highland-wildflower