FRIENDS OF BLACKA MOOR

It was managed without farm animals and at first the paths were generally well maintained.

In 1983 a council decision was taken to put sheep on the land. There was a public protest and petition which succeeded in getting the sheep withdrawn

In the 1990’s council officers planned with officers of English Nature in Bakewell to have the land added to the other nearby sites of Special Scientific Interest.

This was not discussed with the people, with councillors or with those who walk on Blacka Moor.

In 1999 the land was proposed as an SSSI. Officers responded welcoming this without consulting the public or councillors.

The Graves Covenant states that the land is to be a public pleasure ground and public open space. Council officers and the Cabinet, for whatever reason, kept this document to themselves and resisted calls to have it made available.

 
A decision was taken by the council in principle in 1999 to lease Blacka to Sheffield Wildlife Trust. 

Sheffield Wildlife Trust’s management plan, crafted with the help of English Nature, states that they will be grazing the land with cattle.

This is contrary to the wishes of local users of Blacka who wish it to be left as it is or with manual removal of unwanted trees. A new petition in 2005 collected 761 signatures. Again this has been ignored.

 Red deer in June among the bilberry and heather with Rowan in flower giving an accurate impression of why so many people want the place left alone. It is a changing landscape. The rowan in flower are comparatively recent and unless the deer's browsing keeps it as it is there will be more trees in the future. But we are relaxed about natural change. We know that without wholly natural change it would not be looking as it does now. Who are we to design every landscape? Here nature "calls the shots", God bless it!