Molinia Control

• The area of Purple moor-grass Molinia caerulea on Molland Moor is expanding and this species is replacing heather.
• In 2014, a Molinia Control Study was established to identify the best treatment to control Molinia on the Moor.  Plots were established in two trial areas to compare the impact of three different techniques: cutting, burning and spray-burn-reseed; a fourth plot was established as a control.
• The plots were unfenced, and a wildfire burned through one of the trial areas in March 2016. 

Fig 1. Results from one of the trial areas (Moor Lane)

• The results from this work offer an early insight to the effectiveness of the various techniques in the presence of grazing.  Although outside the project, the intention is to continue the monitoring of the recovery of the plots with a view to establishing a comparison between the different techniques, over a longer-term.

Conclusions

• The spray-burn-reseed treatment is the most effective method to reduce the abundance of Molinia.
• To maximise the effectives of the cutting treatment, the cut material should be removed.
• Data collection over a longer-term is required to establish a comparison between the different techniques that is closer to real-life.
• It seems likely that most of the remaining stands of heather-dominated vegetation at Molland will soon be lost without concerted and targeted management that aims to favour heather at the expense of Molinia.

Further Information

• The Graze the Moor Project Final Report – section 9.
• The 2013 report by Dave Boyce and the Aerial Photo Analysis report by the DBRC – available in the Project Report Folder.