The moors are asserted to be of national importance by Natural England for the extent, quality and diversity of upland types including heaths, fens, wet grassland, flushes, mires and blanket bogs, together creating an extensive mosaic habitat supporting an exceptional community of amphibians.

Bog sites on the moors give rise to heather, cross-leaved heath, common and hare’s-tail cotton-grasses (Eriophorum angustifolium and E. vaginatum) amongst a variety of bog-mosses including (Sphagnum papillosum), (S. capillifolium) and (S. magellanicum).

[2] Watercourses across the site support soft or sharp-flowered rush (Juncus effusus and J. acutiflorus), haircap moss (Polytrichum commune), and occasional associated flora such as star-sedge, marsh pennywort (Hydrocotyle vulgaris) and bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata).

[2] Rich wetlands occur especially at the east of the moors, and have species mixes arising in part out of the effects of a limestone understratum dominated by purple moor-grass with, in less-grazed areas, bog-myrtle (Myrica gale), and in more-grazed areas, cross-leaved heath and tormentil, with sweet vernal-grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus), compact rush (Juncus conglomeratus), sneezewort (Achillea ptramica), marsh thistle (Cirsium palustre) and wild angelica (Angelica sylvestris), and limestone indicators including carnation, glaucous and flea sedges (Carex panicea, C. flacca and C. pulicaris), fen bedstraw (Galium uliginosum), tufted vetch (Vicia cracca) and moss (Hylocomium splendens).

[2] Rocky outcrops on the site, when accompanied by free draining soil, provide habitat for heather, bilberry and bell-heather (Erica cinerea), with local dry-heath cowberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) and petty-whin (Genista anglica).

Species include alder (Alnus glutinosa), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), brown birch (Betula pubescens), rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) and occasional ash (Fraxinus excelsior), and ground-cover of yellow pimpernel (Lysimachia nemorum), wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) and smooth-stalked sedge (Carex laevigata).

[2] Additional notable features of the site are the presence of the large heath butterfly (Coenonympha tullia), the upland bird population, and stands of bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) with chickweed wintergreen (Trientalis europaea).