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Aliens, I reckon

heather seed collection possibly, it's an odd one to be sure.

doesn't look like the result of a burn but then looks like a fairly hefty area to strip for seed.

someone get on their bike and check it out please… be careful though, what if it is aliens? 😯

think that is county council land, i'll ask me dad, he'll no doubt know all about it as it's close to the NT Longshaw estate

it looks like a big monkey.

It's moorland management. Bracken clearance most likely. To stop it encroaching onto the heather.

not sure why you'd want to clear heather Huw, if that's inside the National Park then it's inside the SSSI moorland area where heather is being encouraged to spread.

Management for grouse would require the areas to be small as the birds will not venture too far from cover.

It's heather clearance for managing the moorland. Possibly for grouse rearing, or possibly just to encourage new heather growth to replace straggly old growth. Helps to bind the soil together better. See it a lot on uplands.

Oops, bracken clearance I meant to say. Edited post above now.

Well looking around that bit of moor they've been doing it for quite a while as there are various similar patches in various stages of regrowth.

it looks like a big monkey.

wearing a hat

why the (seemingly) random pattern then? Or were they trying to draw a big monkey? 😀

proper moorland management looks like this not the big uniform areas like that.

That said it could be bracken clearance as suggested. Large areas of cleared heather like that are unlikely to regenerate.

It's a sign.

dunno, but i've got my triangular tin foil hat on just in case, they're listening………….. 😯