Uses of forest moss

[sapper326]

Whist out walking the hound last week i noticed a couple of guys collecting a huge amount of moss from the ground.
What uses are there for the moss, i had thought reptile tanks have something along those lines?
And no i'm not going to set up a moss selling business just curious of what people use from the forest.

Thanks

 

[copper_head]

I once tried to thatch a shelter with it, I woke up in a small lake.

 

[toilet digger]

absorbant and antiseptic, ideal sanitary ware for your lady friends when the painters are in.
after boiling briefly then drying can be used as FFD's

 

[swotty]

Hmm.....probably not good that they were taking large amounts but I know sphagnum moss has several uses, excellent for cleaning your pots and pans with a few ashes added from the fire as an abrasive, works great as a sponge and because it has small amounts of iodine in is also is mildly antisceptic. Can also be used to filter water and can be used as a wound dressing, I believe it was used extensively for this purpose during when alternatives were unavailable.

 

[swotty]

ideal sanitary ware for your lady friends when the painters are in.

Ha.....didn't know whether to mention that one!

 

[Big Stu 12]

You can wrap food in it and steam it over a fire

 

[Shewie]

£16 for 2kg, not a bad earner ..

http://www.excelsiorwholesale.co.uk/prod.asp?i=129255&1=Flat_Moss_Box_2_Kg


Dried moss is used a lot in the florists trade so they might have been collecting for that.

 

[Harvestman]

Moss is collected as lining material for hanging baskets. There is quite a market in it, and very little regulation. On the moors near me huge swathes of moss have been ripped up, and the excess bags just left lying amongst the heather.

 

[ol smokey]

If the amounts being taken were really large, then I would suspect that this was being stolen for commercial purposes, as Spagnum moss is in great demand in Garden centres, for adding a base to hanging floral baskets, and for binding into Floral Wreaths, It retains moisture and keeps the flowers from drying out and dying too quickly. I suppose that the Garden Centres do not ask too many questions as to where it is sourced, as long as they get a profit. In my area the Police, Forestry, and Wildlife Rangers are on to this, and are stamping it out.

 

[Harvestman]

Beaten to the post again

 

[Bushwhacker]

There's no use important enough to warrant harvesting vast quantities of the stuff.

 

[sapper326]

Thank you to all the above responses. I guess these guys aren't steaming food or making homemade tampax. They were in an area that would require some sort of gate access. I walked through the area yesterday and to be honest if i hadn't seen them doing this you wouldn't notice any damage ect. Maybe they have permission to take a certain amount?
Going back to my original post i may start collecting it! £16 for 2kg! thats a lot of cash from the forest floor!

 

[Elen Sentier]

If the amounts being taken were really large, then I would suspect that this was being stolen for commercial purposes, as Spagnum moss is in great demand in Garden centres, for adding a base to hanging floral baskets, and for binding into Floral Wreaths, It retains moisture and keeps the flowers from drying out and dying too quickly. I suppose that the Garden Centres do not ask too many questions as to where it is sourced, as long as they get a profit. In my area the Police, Forestry, and Wildlife Rangers are on to this, and are stamping it out.

I'd run with that possibility too - bad!

 

[Elen Sentier]

Thank you to all the above responses. I guess these guys aren't steaming food or making homemade tampax. They were in an area that would require some sort of gate access. I walked through the area yesterday and to be honest if i hadn't seen them doing this you wouldn't notice any damage ect. Maybe they have permission to take a certain amount?
Going back to my original post i may start collecting it! £16 for 2kg! thats a lot of cash from the forest floor!

Is it worth reporting it?

 

[sapper326]

I'll keep an eye on it. They were quite un phased that we we looking at them. Maybe I'll speak to the Forestry Commision and see if people have permission to do this kind of thing?

 

[Skaukraft]

It is, or at least was pretty common to dig fresh fish and/or meat down in the moss. Specially when out on long fishing hikes n the mountains, were no coolers are available. Fresh fish will stay cool and fresh for several days, and maybe up to a week if the temperature does not get to high.

 

[liam mac]

Hi all, new to this forum and having a wee rumage about the topics. Would echo the use of moss for cleaning pots as I use to clean the soot off my pots after cooking. Very efficient method. Apparantly native Americans used it to line nappies for their babies. Papoose pampers if you like.

 

[Skaukraft]

Here's an article about the stuff. I've "googled" it from norwegian to english.
http://translate.google.com/transla...rtemedisin/artikler/spha_spp/art1.htm&act=url

 

[liam mac]

Nice article, some interesting info there. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Skaukraft]

No prob mate.
Not the best translation though.