Cumbria Wildlife Trust Starts Peatland Restoration at Skiddaw Forest

The Cumbria Wildlife Trust has launched an extensive rewilding initiative to restore the peatland beneath Skiddaw Forest in the Lake District, constituting the opening stage of a multi‑year programme to re‑natural the area.

Although peatlands occupy merely around 3 % of Britain’s land surface, they hold approximately one‑third of the nation’s soil carbon. In Cumbria’s upland zones, intact peat functions like a sponge, moderating water movement, sustaining scarce plant assemblages and offering refuge to wildlife including red grouse and mountain hare. Consequently, the deterioration of Skiddaw’s peat carries consequences for climate mitigation and regional biodiversity.

Years of drainage, excessive grazing and past timber harvesting have fragmented the Skiddaw peat, leaving it vulnerable to erosion. Runoff has removed vegetation, and a depressed water table has hastened the emission of stored carbon as CO₂. The Trust’s evaluation determined that, absent remedial action, the area may persist as a net emitter of greenhouse gases.

This spring’s restoration activities concentrate on re‑wetting the peat through the placement of simple damming devices, referred to as “blocking” or “re‑wetting bundles,” intended to lift the water table. Simultaneously, native sphagnum moss and heather are being replanted to speed the return of peat‑forming flora. Monitoring stations will record water levels, plant development and carbon flux in the years ahead.

Funding for the scheme comes from a mix of grants from the UK Government’s Nature for Climate Fund together with donations from regional conservation charities. The Trust aims to finish the first blocking stage within twelve months, after which adaptive management will steer subsequent actions. Volunteer teams from surrounding villages have been enlisted to help with planting and site checks, cultivating local stewardship.

The Skiddaw project supports national goals to revive at least 35 % of Britain’s peatlands by 2030, a cornerstone of the UK’s net‑zero plan. Achieving success could serve as a model for comparable upland locations throughout northern England. The Trust intends to release interim results later this year, with a comprehensive review slated for 2028 to assess ecological recovery and carbon‑sequestration performance.