Cumbria Wildlife Trust Begins Peatland Restoration in Skiddaw Forest

The Cumbria Wildlife Trust has launched an extensive rewilding scheme to restore the peatland beneath Skiddaw Forest in the Lake District, representing the initial stage of a multi‑year plan to re‑natural the area.

Although peatlands cover only about 3 % of the United Kingdom’s terrain, they hold roughly one‑third of the nation’s soil carbon. In Cumbria’s upland zones, healthy peat functions as a sponge that moderates water flow, sustains rare plant assemblages and offers habitat for species such as red grouse and mountain hare. Consequently, the decline of Skiddaw’s peat has repercussions for climate mitigation and local biodiversity alike.

Centuries of drainage, over‑grazing and historic timber harvesting have fragmented the peat layer at Skiddaw, leaving it vulnerable to erosion. Runoff has stripped vegetation, while a lowered water table has hastened the release of stored carbon as CO₂. The Trust’s assessment warned that, without action, the site could persist as a net source of greenhouse gases.

Restoration activities this spring centre on re‑wetting the peat by installing a series of low‑tech damming structures, known as “blocking” or “re‑wetting bundles,” 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, vegetation growth and carbon fluxes in the years ahead.

The initiative is financed through grants from the UK Government’s Nature for Climate Fund together with contributions from local conservation charities. The Trust aims to finish the first blocking phase within twelve months, after which adaptive management will steer further actions. Volunteer groups from nearby communities have been enlisted to help with planting and site checks, nurturing local stewardship.

The Skiddaw project supports national ambitions to restore at least 35 % of the UK’s peatlands by 2030, a cornerstone of the country’s net‑zero agenda. Success here could serve as a model for comparable upland sites across northern England. Interim findings will be released later this year, with a comprehensive review slated for 2028 to assess ecological recovery and carbon‑sequestration outcomes.