As part of the residency, all ten of us artists from different patches of the nature reserve took a field trip to Bridestones Rewilded in nearby Calderdale to hear about the work they’re doing to reverse biodiversity decline. On a suitably soggy day — the first rain we’d had for weeks! — I held a vivid green spongy star of sphagnum moss in my hand and learned about the vital role it plays in building blanket bog. This miracle moss can hold many times its weight it water. It’s essential for the healthy functioning of the peat bog and locking in carbon.

But where bogs are degraded and drained, other plants can take over and prevent sphagnum from working its magic. Both the Bridestones Moor and Penistone Hill have areas that are dominated by thirsty and tussocky purple moor-grass (molinia caerulea). If you look out from this spot on Penistone Hill, you’ll see swathes of it.

There’s nature recovery work ongoing to restore sphagnum and shift the hydrology of the bog in its favour, but it’s a tricky process! This Wayfinder celebrates that work with an ode to sphagnum and the ecologists and volunteers who are playing their part in restoring our precious peatlands.