The Sheffield Moors collectively form the headwaters of the River Don.
They are an iconic landscape with internationally important habitats and species. They also provide a range of ecosystem services including floodwater storage; carbon capture; drinking water supply; wildlife conservation and recreation.
The Sheffield Moors Partnership draws together various landowners with the aim of managing the landscape as a whole, for wildlife and for people across the 56km² moorland area. The partners include Sheffield City Council, National Trust, RSPB, Peak District National Park Authority, Natural England and Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust
Blacka Moor (Site of Special Scientific Interest) is 180ha mosaic of habitats including heathland, wooded cloughs, woodland, mire and old pastures. Cattle graze the moorland and pastures, helping to conserve and enhance these habitats and to attract a wide range of breeding birds.
The Sheffield Moors Partnership (SMP) includes approximately 56 square kilometres of upland landscape in public sector or charitable ownership on the western edge of Sheffield. The area contains habitats of both national and international importance, providing some of the most popular destinations for outdoor recreation in the Peak District National Park.
Origins of the Sheffield Moors Partnership
The partnership developed in spring 2010 out of recognition from the various land owners and managers in the area of the benefit of increased collaborative working, building on the work to date between the organisations in the partnership, for example, in relation to future management of the Peak District National Park Authority’s owned Eastern Moors Estate.
The core partners are the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA), National Trust (NT), Sheffield City Council (SCC), Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust (SRWT), and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Natural England, the government’s statutory advisors on nature conservation, is also a partner as most of the SMP area is designated nationally and internationally for its important habitats and wildlife.
To find out more, visit the Sheffield Moors Partnership website