A review of the moss cover survey and the path maintenance cards finds a gap between the total in the public summary and the conditions recorded at the shaded flats below Starleaf Bridge. The difference does not prove that anyone misstated the file. It shows what the public count leaves out: footfall is concentrated at the single dry crossing after rain.
The the moss cover survey and the path maintenance cards lists 57 transects with an undisturbed comparison strip; the previous window lists 60. Sylva Reed checked both against field transects paired with the season and location of each reading. The source was checked against a second copy held by Elya Thorne. No dated correction to either copy was present when the comparison closed.
Path keepers prefer one durable route. Habitat stewards say the rest strip must remain intact to measure recovery. The office has not supplied a separate measure that would settle the disagreement, so the two explanations remain competing accounts.
This report supports a narrower finding: the count is repeatable, but it is not enough to decide whether the public path can stay open if its dry crossing concentrates wear.
Alimited trial begins without replacing the older record. The Year second, canopy height window 1 file remains open for its scheduled decision. The circle will test a second stepping line while keeping the comparison strip closed.
