Bid to safeguard Scotland's rich history that lies beneath our feet

FOR centuries, Scotland's peat bogs have been dug up for fuel, drained for farming or planted for forestry.

Now, in an attempt to preserve some of the bogs that remain, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has designated another 60 hectares of land in West Lothian as a national nature reserve.

Blawhorn Moss, near Blackridge, is one of the largest and least-known lowland raised peat bogs that still remains.

"Blawhorn is one of the best examples of peat bogs in central Scotland," said SNH area manager, Iain Rennick. "We hope that we can raise people's awareness of the site and encourage them to pay it a visit.

"Not only does Blawhorn Moss provide habitats for many plants and insects, but it also acts as a carbon sink, trapping carbon dioxide and helping combat global warming."

Preserved eight or ten metres deep in Blawhorn Moss are layer upon layer of materials that tell experts what kind of ancient trees, heather or moss would have flourished thousands of years ago. The different strata also reflect climate conditions over time.

Samples of peat extracted by SNH staff yesterday showed how the colour ranges from dark to light.

Andrew McBride, SNH wetlands ecologist, said: "Fragments of birch suggesting a drier period 6,000 years ago would have encouraged more tree growth. Sphagnum moss and thick, fleshy roots indicate a wetter period as the bog developed, around 5,000 years ago.

"The presence of heather indicates a drier bog in response to man-made drainage of the land, which would have started about 150 years ago."

Wooden pathways now wind round this ancient habitat. If wanderers stray, they could find themselves waist-deep in layers of soil and moss that have been vegetating for 1,200 years, Mr Rennick warned.

"It is a very wet and boggy place. There is no reason why people can't bring the dogs along for a walk but we would advise them to stick to the boardwalks," he said.

Children and staff from Blackridge primary school were invited along to share yesterday's celebration of the nature reserve being extended to 160 hectares.

Classes have visited the site on fact-finding trips for many years, and a book has been produced of the children's recent work about the bog.

Alison Townley, their head teacher, said: "Blawhorn Moss shows that learning can, and should, be fun. It inspires us to engage in creative, cross-curricular work including science, language and environmental studies.

"The quality of work in the finished book is fantastic, and will raise the profile of this important local reserve for parents, pupils and the community."

Heather Kinnin, of SNH, said of the area: "You could easily believe you were up north in the middle of nowhere. So few people realise we are lucky enough to have all of this on our doorstep."

• Blawhorn Moss is four miles east of Armadale. Motorists should take junction 4 from the M8 on to the A801, then head west for three miles on the A89 until Blackridge village. The car park is signposted off the A89.


PROFILE

THE name of Blawhorn is said to come from the days when the village of Blackridge was a midway coaching station between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Blawhorn was used as a viewing point for watching and waiting for coaches to approach. A horn would be blown to signal the arrival of visitors to the coaching inn down the hill at Blackridge, hence the name.

Today, Blawhorn is an important bog habitat with a carpet of sphagnum moss, heather, cotton grass, crowberry, hair moss and the round leaved sundew, which feeds on insects attracted to its bright red colour and a sugary substance that covers its leaves.

Visiting birds include the red grouse, snipe, curlew, redshank, teal, skylark, hen harrier and short eared owl. Butterflies and dragonflies are also regularly seen at Blawhorn Moss.

Part of Blawhorn Moss was designated a national nature reserve in 1980, before this was extended to include the newly bought parcel of land yesterday.

The area is also a site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation.