UK Man and the Biosphere Committee

Moor House - Upper Teesdale Biosphere Reserve




Moor House - Upper Teesdale Biosphere Reserve lies in the south west corner of the North Pennines. The Moor House –Upper Teesdale Biosphere Reserve is comprised of two National Nature Reserves (NNRs); the Moor House and Upper Teesdale, and the Cow Green Reservoir which sits in between. The combination of two NNRs gives the biosphere reserve an outstanding range of habitats and biodiversity.

Moor House has bogs and montane habitats, with 27 endangered or vulnerable species and 71 nationally scarce species have been recorded. Upper Teesdale has hay meadows and pastures as well as large tracts of moorland and mountain. Upper Teesdale is one of the most important botanical sites in Britain supporting a flora exceptionally rich in nationally rare species and including a relict arctic-alpine element. Upper Teesdale is also very important for birds as over 50 species of birds breed there.

 

What goes on there?

In the biosphere reserve heather burning over a 15-20 year cycle has created a favourable condition for red grouse and controlled sheep grazing.

Research has been a large part of the history of the NNRs which make up the biosphere reserves, going back as far as the 1930s. There is a small field lab for researchers studying land use change, climate change, deposition of pollutants and the functional processes of blanket peatland and streams. The area also has the flagship site of the Terrestrial Initiative in Global Environmental Research.

Education and outdoor experience is also a key feature of the site. The biosphere reserve organises a wide range of conservation activities, walks and talks. The Pennine way, which passes through both “halves” of the NNRs is used as and educational and conservation resource.

 

What makes it unique?

The biosphere reserve contains England’s highest and largest terrestrial NNR, ranging from 290m to 850m. The High Force waterfall in the biosphere reserve is the largest in England.

 

Where is it?

The Moor House - Upper Teesdale Biosphere Reserve lies in the south west corner of the North Pennines. The biosphere reserve is situated on the NNR of Moor House and Upper Teesdale. It is 10km north east of Appleby-in-Westmoreland, Durham and 25km north west of Barnard Castle, Durham.

 

 
Factfile:
 
Location: 10km north east of Appleby-in-Westmoreland, Durham and 25km north west of Barnard Castle, Durham.
 
Ecosystems: Temperate broadleaf forests or woodlands.

 

Terrain and habitats:  glacial till, moorland, blanket bog, peatland, woodland, meadows, grassland and heathland.

 

Vegetation: Exquisite post glacial flora – a range of arctical pine plants known as the “Teesdale Assemblage”. Of particular interest is the rare spring gentian, alpine meadow rue, mountain everlasting, alpine bistort and false sedge. Herbs are also common including tormentil, thyme, heath bedstraw, heath dog-violet, daisy, harebell and mountain pansy.
 
Size: 7,399 ha
 
Wildlife: The area has outstanding biodiversity and has many nationally important species. In the Moor House NNR there are 27 endangered or vulnerable and 71 nationally scarce species of invertebrate life. These include the vulnerable fungus gnat known and the northern dart moth.
 

Over 50 species of birds breed on the biosphere reserve including merlin, peregrine, buzzards, short-eared owls and others. Some 10 nationally rare and endangered or vulnerable invertebrate species are known from Upper Teesdale as well as over 60 nationally scarce species, including the northern dart and slender striped rustic moths. The round-mouthed whorl snail, an arctic species, was discovered there in 1970 and is otherwise unknown from Britain.

 
 

History

Designated a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1976

 

Protection Classifications

National Nature Reserve (NNR)

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

Special Protection Area (SPA)

UNESCO Geopark
 
 
 
For more information visit the Moor House website