On Saturday 14th October, the Green Lancaster team and volunteers supported Wild Garsdale Pike (WGP) for the first ECOWild Field trip of the year in regenerating nature and biodiversity in Garsdale, Cumbria.

Physical Geography student, Emily Adams, said “I had a great time learning and engaging with the WGP team, I got to get involved with so many great conservation activities and felt like I could make a difference, even just on a small scale”.

WGP is a youth-led environmental project which aims to educate young people about the environmental challenges faced by much of the UK’s upland landscapes and involve them in conservation efforts to combat such challenges.

Following a short bus journey, the volunteers met with Rosey Grandage - the owner of the land. In the morning, WGP trustee Sammy Haddock demonstrated how to undertake moth surveys. Shortly after, volunteers were divided into three groups. One group began undertaking peat depth surveys, a second group re-constructed some dry-stone wall, and a third group installed rabbit fences to prevent pigs from disturbing the soil.

Shortly after meeting Lochlan Dulson from Cumbria Woodlands, one group of volunteers undertook biodiversity surveys, while another group surveyed peat depth at a higher altitude. This is important because peat sequesters carbon, reduces flood risk and enhances biodiversity.

The coordinates of all surveys and their measurements were documented for conservation purposes, helping to enrich the environment of Garsdale Pike and supporting its return to nature.

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