Machair restoration work at Achmelvich, Sutherland, and at some other sites involves covering areas of eroded machair edge with turfs to mark out areas for sowing and to encourage the spread of vegetation. At Achmelvich the procedure used is as follows
- Cut turfs from the top of the machair ‘cliff’ and let them slide down the face to the beach. Turfs should be rectangular, about 600mm (2′) wide and of any convenient length. Cut them about 200mm (8″) thick. Some of the excess soil falls from them as they slide downhill but enough should be left to prevent them drying out before re-use.
- Stack the turfs along the cliff bottom, not too close or they will get in the way of contouring.
- Regrade steep sections of the machair edge by cutting it back at the top and shifting sand to the bottom or into blowouts and gullies. Aim to produce a final slope of 30°-45° and a rolling profile at the cliff’s top and bottom.
- Dig in a line of turfs at the base of the contoured slope.
- Where the slope is more than a few feet high, put another row of turfs along it about half way up and place occasional rows running up and down to divide the slope into a series of rectangles
The horizontal rows reduce sand slip and provide the basis for vegetation to spread over the bare surface. The vertical rows aid this and also mark the slope into convenient areas for sowing.
If you don’t have enough turf to create horizontal and vertical rows, you may be able to cut turfs from sheltered areas of the machair surface some way back from the edge or to take them from areas which are to be surfaced for car parks etc. - Rake remaining unturfed areas and stabilise them by sowing, fertilising and binding. Fence to prevent access by people and grazing animals.
