Rewilding Project Aims to Restore 435 Hectares of Damaged Peatland in Cumbria
Cumbria Wildlife Trust has commenced work to repair and rewet a significant area of peatland in Skiddaw Forest, a vital carbon store and habitat.
Work has begun on a project to restore 435 hectares (1,077 acres) of damaged peatland in Skiddaw Forest, Cumbria. The initiative, led by Cumbria Wildlife Trust, also includes the repair of a 6km (3.7-mile) boundary fence.
Skiddaw Forest is home to one of the largest continuous areas of blanket bog in the Lake District, functioning as a substantial carbon store. Peatlands play a crucial role in mitigating climate change by sequestering large amounts of carbon dioxide.
According to Susie Webb, peatland team manager for Cumbria Wildlife Trust, the restored peatlands will also help regulate water flow from the fells. This is expected to offer protection to downstream communities from flooding and will benefit local wildlife.
The restoration project is anticipated to take between three and four months to complete. Throughout this period, public access to Skiddaw Forest will remain unaffected.
Webb anticipates that the rewetting of the ground will encourage the growth of specialist plants, such as sundews and sphagnum mosses, and lead to an increase in dragonfly populations. The improved conditions will also benefit ground-nesting birds like snipe, which thrive in wet grasslands, marshes, and moorlands.