AN event, organised by the Friends of Ilkley Moor, to learn about the plants, trees, mosses and lichens that are found on the moor took place on June 19.

The group walked the lower slopes of the moor, up to the upper tarn, down to the lower tarn and then across to a wetland area to be shown the plants characteristic of dry heaths, marshland and open water bodies. Plants discovered in the dry heath were heather, cross leaved heather, bilberry, bracken, lemon scented fern, lichens, gorse, rowan, hazel, oak, ash, and birch trees and the grasses of Yorkshire fog, crested dogs tail, cocksfoot, sweet vernal grass and meadow grass. Also seen were yarrow, nettle, dock, birds foot trefoil and tormentil. In the marsh area the group were shown flowering rush and compact rush, bog asphodel, cranberry, bog cotton, sphagnum moss, meadowsweet, sedges and sundew. In the upper tarn the group discovered water horsetail, marsh violet, marsh pennywort and willow trees.

As well as admiring the plants the group also learnt about the ecology, conservation and management of these habitats.

The FoIM’s regular volunteers have been out each week this month undertaking habitat management on Ilkley Moor for the benefit of wildlife conservation and helping to restore and maintain footpath networks.

The events programme and heritage walks can be downloaded from the FOIM  website www.ilkleymoor.org