The enthusiastic historian and naturalist Michael Clegg travels the Yorkshire region meeting colourful characters, looking at interesting places and uncovering some off-beat jobs and trades. In this episode of Clegg's People, Michael Clegg visits Thorne Moor near Goole, a site of vast peat workings. He investigates the plants and insects found in the bogland and looks at the threat to their habitat from peat farming. The programme opens with a view of an open peat bog which is being...

The enthusiastic historian and naturalist Michael Clegg travels the Yorkshire region meeting colourful characters, looking at interesting places and uncovering some off-beat jobs and trades. In this episode of Clegg's People, Michael Clegg visits Thorne Moor near Goole, a site of vast peat workings. He investigates the plants and insects found in the bogland and looks at the threat to their habitat from peat farming. The programme opens with a view of an open peat bog which is being exploited as Michael Clegg walks down the rows of cut peat, which has been left to dry. The location is Thorne Moor near Goole, the largest area of lowland raised peat bog in the United Kingdom. The area is sometimes called locally Thorne Waste and it is a large area of natural wilderness. The film shows the remains of ancient trees dug from the peat bog. Michael joins Dr Paul Buckland of Sheffield University as these tree remains provide Paul with a fascinating field of study. He pulls apart one of the tree roots and remaining trunk. He says that it is the remains of a tree from 3000 years ago, when the landscape in the area was one of continuous forest. He shows holes bored into the wood made by a species of long horn beetle now extinct in Britain. He goes on to say that the activities of man and the ecological consequences of forest clearance have resulted in being no true forests left in Western Europe. Michael describes the landscape that was left following the clearing of the primary forest was secondary woodland and a mixture of heath and bog. The Romans drained areas to grow food. Paul Buckland has been studying this development and the old river system before the Romans imposed on it a drainage scheme. Paul explains to Michael the transition from the iron age wetland landscape to farmland was dependent on Roman engineering which diverted the river Don and river Idle. Paul goes on to say that the area where they now stand represents the uplands of the Roman period. However the Romans were the makers of another barren period in the attempt to farm the wetlands. Michael explains off camera that during the Middle Ages parts of the area in particular Hatfield chase was known for game hunting. In the 17th century overseas visitors left their mark. The film shows Dutch river near Thorne, which is a man-made waterway. The Dutch, who were experts in land drainage according to Michael had great plans for the area. Michael reads a protest poem by Andrew Marvell the 17th century poet. He talks to Malcolm Hobson an expert in the history of Dutch involvement in the drainage of the wetland and the involvement of the English monarchy. A general view of the Thorne area accompanies Michael’s summing up so far of its history. The Dutch drainage scheme created farmland with the peat area only partially exploited for fuel. In the 1950’s Michael goes on to say, harvesting the peat became big business. The film shows a large shed like structure in the distance overlooking a field of crops. The name Fisons appears on the building, a firm specialising in peat harvesting for their ‘gro-bags’ They have cut through huge areas of the peat bog, with as Michael says, more to come. Conservationists are concerned that species which need to be protected should be in reserves. Michael meets Peter Roworth, The Nature Conservancy warden at Thorne Moor End pit. A view of the pit head is followed by Michael and Peter walking along a rough track towards the camera. Peter explains to Michael that after negotiations with Fison’s they were able to create a reserve on a raised mire, a cumulation of sphagnum moss creating an area of land that still is natural wetland. Michael and Peter walk through dense ferns and rhododendron plants then on to wet ground and a change to the vegetation walking through reeds, alders and sallows. They come across the raised mire bog which retains lots of water and sphagnum moss. Peter makes his way into the bog and demonstrates with his stick how soft it is underfoot. He picks up a handful of sphagnum moss to show to Michael. Peter points out another plant, the sundew which traps insects for food. Michael describes some of the other plants to be seen in the bog, including the bog roseberry, the cross leaved heath a member of the heather family and in the wettest part of the bog, cotton grass. Michael meets up with entomologist Brian Eversham. They both look closely at the grass undergrowth for a green beetle known as the tiger beetle. Brian captures one in his hand and a close-up view of this distinctive looking beetle follows. They move further on to find a small black beetle, known as the Thorne beetle. Brian finds one and places it into a glass tube. Michael uses his binoculars the wrong way round to get a better look at this tiny insect. Brian talks about his early experiences visiting the area when peat cutting had a less intensive impact on the ecology than it does now. He says that technology exists where the peat could be stripped from the moor in a matter of months. Michael asks Peter Atkins of Fisons who assures Michael the moor will not be stripped and that after use plans include ensuring habitat for animals and plants. Off camera Michael explains that shortly after his discussions with Peter Atkin several wildfires took hold on Thorne moor due the hot summer weather. Aerial views show smoke stretching across the peat moor, as fires burn extensively. He goes on to say that 90% of the reserve was burned or scorched. The film shows Peter Roworth as he visits what remains of the reserve, as he gingerly crosses the remains of a wooden bridge over a stream. Views follow of fireman tackling the fire. Michael explains, as he finishes the programme that peat fires can last for weeks and months, but some signs of nature returning have already appeared. Credits: Sound Mike Naylor, Paul Gunstone Graphics Richard Wisdom Editor John Hey Produced/Director/Cameraman Charles Flynn Series Editor David Lowen Executive Producer Graham Ironside. © Yorkshire Television Ltd 1989 End credit: Yorkshire Television production