A day to meet up with an old friend who has, for a number of years, been an integral part of the Lancashire Wildlife Trust team, who have been restoring rare inland raised peat bog habitat after such areas on our moss were devastated by peat extraction.

The most obvious signs of the success of this work being seen on Little Woolden Moss Nature Reserve, the restoration of which only started in 2012 when the LWT purchased the site.

This landscape has moved from desert to a quiet haven for wildlife with a tranquil landscape that visitors can view from the pathway that goes part way round this site.

Our wander today was to view parts of our mossland landscape which too will offer a haven for our much-depleted wildlife.

Our first sighting suggesting this is already taking place as we encountered a marsh harrier hunting over a field recently acquired by Natural England as (hopefully) a part of a wider nature reserve.

Walking, talking and pondering over the chances of giving our natural world a boost swept our morning meet up to early afternoon...

With birds noted; such as an overflying flock of pink-footed geese, a sizable mixed flock of (red data) reed bunting and yellowhammer (these latter two species feeding on another Natural England Field) left me in no doubt that I might not be about when all this work is completed.

But it gave me a glow to think that SOMETHING is finally being done to conserve wildlife for my Grandchildren and hopefully their Grandchildren’s Grandchildren to value and appreciate.

If you want to make a positive difference for nature in the North West, you can support LWT's Step Up for Wildlife Appeal here.