Wool and bracken creates new ground

The makers of an eco-friendly, peat-free compost made from wool and bracken are creating new ground by helping to restore peat bogs in some of the UK’s most precious uplands.

For part of the year Cumbrian farmer Simon Bland harvests the bracken on his local fells and shears sheep wool to make the secret mix for his environmentally-sound Double Strength Wool Compost. The rest of the season sees Simon restoring some of England’s most protected peat bogs in the Lake District, Peak District and other upland areas of Britain.

As one of only a handful of specialists, Simon’s horticultural work encourages the growth of sphagnum moss and native heather in these ancient landscapes for organisations such as Natural England, RSPB, National Trust and Moors for the Future.

Simon and his partner Dr Jane Barker not only make peat-free compost but are specialist contractors involved in upland peat bog restoration. Their aim is to help return these important wet and heath lands back to their original landscapes, protecting the multitude of plants, birds and animals that live there. They have also launched recently a separate project to encourage the re-growth of native heather in parts of the Lake District.

As Simon harvests bracken for his compost, he plants new heather seed as he goes.

More information: http://www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk