Nature’s Heavyweights Join Forces

An historic agreement by the National Trust and the RSPB will see the two charities co-managing a piece of land for the first time. They will manage the Eastern Moors, on the outskirts of Sheffield, which is one of the major gateways to the Peak District National Park, for the next 15 years. The Moors will still be owned by the Peak District National Park Authority but will be managed by the two charities through the Eastern Moors Partnership. The National Trust and the RSPB are two of Europe’s biggest conservation charities with a combined membership of over 4.6 million. The Eastern Moors cover 27 square km on the western edges of Sheffield, England’s fourth largest city. It’s an area bigger than all of the Scilly Isles put together and comprises five moors - Clod Hall, Leash Fen, Ramsley, Big Moor and Totley Moss. The area also includes the popular walking and climbing areas of Curbar, Froggatt and Birchen Edges and 300 hectares of broadleaf woodland. The National Trust and the RSPB plan to continue work to restore internationally important habitats like blanket bog, increase wildlife, including curlews and water voles and improve access for the hundreds of thousands of people who already visit the site. The site is currently visited by a quarter of a million people from around the world each year. The Peak District National Park is one of the most visited National Parks in the world. Other wildlife in the area includes one of the best adder colonies in the Peak District and one of only two wild red deer herds in the Peak District. Fiona Reynolds, National Trust Director General said, “The Eastern Moors is an area of extraordinary natural beauty and an incredibly important habitat for wildlife.  I am delighted that the National Trust and the RSPB are working together to provide some opportunities for people to enjoy this area of countryside and get closer to nature, whether they are climbers, mountain bikers, walkers or simply in need of some spiritual refreshment.” For more information about Eastern Moors, visit www.easternmoors.org.uk The National Trust has more than 3.6 million members and owns 250,000 ha of land. An estimated over 50 million people visited the National Trust’s countryside properties last year - www.nationaltrust.org.uk. The RSPB has over a million members, including over 195,000 youth members and 200 nature reserves covering 130,000 hectares home to 80% of our rarest or most threatened bird species - www.rspb.org.uk.