Cumbria Wildlife Trust has begun a restoration project across 435 hectares of damaged peatland in Skiddaw Forest, aiming to repair a Lake District blanket bog, improve carbon storage, and reduce downstream flood risks over a three-to-four-month timeline.
Cumbria Wildlife Trust Restores Skiddaw Forest Peatland
Work is officially under way to heal a vast expanse of blanket bog in the Lake District. Cumbria Wildlife Trust has launched a restoration project focused on 435 hectares, equivalent to 1,077 acres, of damaged peatland in Skiddaw Forest.
Field crews will also repair a 6-kilometer, or 3.7-mile, boundary fence while on site. Skiddaw Forest holds one of the largest continuous areas of blanket bog in the Lake District.
Rewetting Terrain Protects Settlements from Floods
Restoring the degraded terrain helps keep greenhouse gases locked in the soil rather than releasing them into the atmosphere.
Rewetting the ground creates ideal conditions for moorland and marsh species to rebound. According to Susie Webb, the enhanced peatlands will additionally decelerate water runoff from the fells.
This deceleration will shield downstream settlements from floods while aiding a diverse array of animal and plant life. Specialist flora and fauna are expected to respond directly to the restored moisture levels.
Susie Webb further mentioned that they anticipate a rise in unique vegetation like sphagnum mosses and sundews, alongside a growth in the dragonfly population. Birds like snipe, which live on wet grassland, marshes and moorlands, will benefit from the rewetted ground.
LIFE Projects Support Peatland Initiatives Across Europe
Figures discussed at the recent Power to the Peatlands conference in Den Bosch, Netherlands, highlighted similar rewetting initiatives across Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Latvia, and Finland. Around 400 LIFE projects have supported peatland-related activities since 1992, as noted by Hans Rhein, Head of CINEA’s LIFE Energy and Climate Unit.
Hans Rhein remarked that the program effectively turns high-level policy goals into tangible, on-site measures.
Trust officials confirmed that public access to Skiddaw Forest won’t be affected while the work gets under way. The on-the-ground labor in Cumbria is projected to span three to four months.