Sphagnum Moss Planting

Jan 23, 2026Featured, Latest News, News & Blog, Newsletter, Press Releases

Moors for the Future Partnership, Friends of Ilkley Moor and Bradford Metropolitan District Council invite you for a day of conservation volunteering to plant sphagnum moss on Ilkley Moor.

  • Participants will plant sphagnum moss to help restore blanket bog habitat

  • Participants will find out about moorland restoration and blanket bog habitat

What’s involved?

  • Carry sphagnum plugs to site (about 1.2km along existing paths and short stretch on open moorland)

  • Plant these plugs of sphagnum moss onto the blanket bog (lots of bending / kneeling down, similar to weeding in the garden)

  • See some of Moors for the Future Partnership’s work and discuss moorland restoration

Dates and times:

20th January 2026

17th February 2026

10am – 4pm (planting from around 11-2:30pm)

Please arrive promptly at 10. We’ll aim to be back at the cars by 4pm.

If the event is going to be cancelled because of poor weather, we will let you know by 5pm the day before.

Where

Meet at the Cow and Calf car park before 10am

What to bring

Drinks including a flask with a hot drink

Packed lunch and snacks

Waterproof clothing including waterproof jacket trousers

Extra warm layers – bring two more layers than you think you need!

Sturdy waterproof wellies or walking boots – It will be wet, I would strongly recommend wellies

Hat and consider a scarf too

Gloves (ideally gardening or work gloves) plus warm gloves (we’ll bring spares)

Large rucksack or big supermarket bags to carry sphagnum plugs (we’ll bring spares)

Screwdriver or garden trowel to use as a dibber (we’ll bring spares)

What to expect

There are no toilet facilities available on the moor so please be prepared. The nearest toilets are at The Cow and Calf which is not particularly near (at least 30 minutes walk).

It will be very cold and possibly very wet on the moor, make sure you bring everything on the list.

Sphagnum planting is quite hard work. It requires lots of bending down to plant sphagnum plants. It is similar to gardening work such as planting bedding plants. Don’t let this put you off, we don’t have any expectations and will just be delighted if you turn up and give us a hand! There will be plenty of opportunity to take a break and have a chat.

Friends of Ilkley Moor

January  2026