Holcombe Moor has been named as one of twelve areas of peatland in the U.K. awarded funding today to help tackle climate change and recover biodiversity.
The Government is investing over £50 million in peat restoration, building on its pledge to restore approximately 35,000 hectares of peatland in England by the end of this Parliament, and leave the environment in a better state for future generations.
Peatlands are an iconic feature of England’s landscape – often referred to as ‘our national rainforest’. They contain over half of the country’s terrestrial carbon stores and provide a haven for wildlife, as well as supporting better water quality and natural flood management.
However, 87% of England’s peatlands, including lowland peatlands are degraded, damaged and dried out, emitting tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. The funding from government will help restore these environments, in turn helping protect wildlife and restore their critical ability to manage water quality and reduce the risk of flooding.
The Holcombe Moor project will restore 135 hectares of peatland using innovative techniques to raise the water levels on blanket bog which has degraded due to industrial pollution, overgrazing and wildfire.
The location of the site near to the industrial heartlands of Greater Manchester and Lancashire will provide opportunities for local people to take part in guided walks and connect with nature on their doorsteps.
Two areas in the Peak District will also receive funding
The Peak District National Authority will work with the ‘Moors for Climate’ partnership restoring peatlands across three sites in the Peak District National Park. The partnership will engage volunteers who will plant species such as sphagnum moss to improve water quality, and community groups will also learn about moorland fire prevention.
Another project bssed at Park Hall and Kinder Scout will see the National Trust, funded in part by private finance from United Utilities, restore over 420 hectares of degraded blanket bog.
Lancashire’s Red Rose Project will restore over 400 hectares of degraded lowland and upland peatlands within the Lancashire area, building on the Peatland Discovery Grants which enabled restoration plans to be developed as a baseline for data collection and landowner engagement.
