Badly eroded and damaged peat bog on a North Lakes fell is being repaired as part of an operation that will also improve access to the area.
The work on Armboth Fell above Thirlmere is being carried out by the National Trust with Cumbria Wildlife Trust, United Utilities, Natural England and Fix the Fells to create an ideal environment for sphagnum moss to thrive.
Sphagnum is a natural water filter, so the work will ensure cleaner water leaves the area. It will also slow the flow of water into valleys, reducing flood risk. Wet peat also locks in carbon dioxide, stopping it being released into the atmosphere.
Part of the work is to improve access by creating a stone path through the restored area. This will make it easier for people to pass through while ensuring the habitat restoration work is protected.
‘’Our contractors started work when the ground was frozen so they could navigate the wettest and most eroded areas of bare peat,’’ said a National Trust spokesman.
‘’They have since re-profiled the eroding edges of peat to a more stable angle which will stop the continuation of erosion.
‘’They have also installed small peat bunds across the site to hold back water in small pools.
“This not only ensures that the peat is kept saturated to stop the release of C02 into the atmosphere but also provides vital habitats. The new pools create the ideal wet environment for plants that thrive in peat bogs, such as sphagnum moss, the main component of peat.’’
To prepare for the path works, materials were lifted onto the fells by helicopter, with the Fix the Fells team laying the stone path through the restored area.
The access work is expected to be completed by the end of the month.
The restoration works are funded by United Utilities, DEFRA Peatland Grant Scheme and supported by The National Lottery through Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Fix the Fells, with funding from the European Rural Development Fund.
