Dinsdale Moorland Services (DMS) was originally an agriculturally based contracting business, formed in the late 1970’s as a diversification from farming. Initially, this involved specialist work on large drainage schemes, and then naturally on to ploughing and grassland reseeding. The company quickly branched into work on moorland areas, installing grips, fixing and altering old drainage systems and cleaning gutters. At that time farming was becoming more intensive, so the company became involved in ‘white ground’ and bracken bed reclamation into in-bye grassland.
In 1995, Dinsdale Moorland Services was founded by Matt Dinsdale undertaking moorland and heathland restoration. The company carries out large heather regeneration and extensive habitat improvement projects. These involve ground preparation work (scarification) and sourcing and spray-sowing of heather seed with specially adapted and unique vehicles. DMS undertakes GPS survey work, grip blocking, moorland road and access track upgrading, scrub clearance and reinstatement of important habitats such as blanket bog.
Matt Dinsdale (1973 - 2008) founder of Dinsdale Moorland Services, seen here seeding a moorland with heather.
The company has worked for a number of prestigious organisations including English Nature, UK Coal, United Utilities, Yorkshire Water, Transco, Yorkshire Dales National Park, Yorkshire Moors National Park, RSPB, Birse Construction and PLC (Pipeline Construction), as well as some of the North’s largest private moorland owners. Dinsdale Moorland Services was also heavily involved in the Northern Uplands Moorland Regeneration Project and has strong working relationships with ADAS, FWAG, the Countryside Agency, the Moorland Association and the National Trust.
