Pictured: Andrew Walker from Yorkshire Water being filmed by Dan Waters from Adarak at Peat Moss
A group of peatland enthusiasts took time out from their working day to join us making a video about vital restoration work which has transformed Fleet Moss and Nethergill.
We were lucky as it was a beautiful sunny day which helped us to appreciate the beauty of the peatlands.
These restoration sites are part of the GreatNorthBog which is the UK action site for WaterLANDS – a largescale EU funded restoration programme.
An aim of the programme is to share learning and best practice from six sites across Europe and develop tools and guidelines to support learning further afield. It is also to involve local communities and organisations carrying out restoration at grassroot level to come up with solutions to the challenges that they face.
Peatlands and wetlands are vital
Wetlands retain and purify water, remove pollutants and excess nutrients, store atmospheric carbon, reduce the risk of flooding and coastal storms, support an immense variety of wildlife, and offer recreational, well-being and economic benefits to surrounding communities. When mismanaged, these essential services for landscapes and society are lost.
Each action site – Dragoman Marsh in Bulgaria, Parnu Catchment in Estonia, Venice Lagoon in Italy, Ems Dollard Estuary in the Netherlands, Life IP Wild Atlantic Nature in Ireland and the Great North Bog in the north of England – is making a video about their restoration work and why it is so important.
Fleet Moss was one of the most damaged areas that Yorkshire Peat Partnership
has attempted to restore. The changes since work has started have been remarkable, it has been really brought back to life. Before restoration the site was badly damaged with lots of bare peat, gullies & drainage ditches. Since restoration colour has returned to the site thanks to large-scale revegetation and water is now retained on the site.
These upland peatlands have been heavily degraded as a result of human activity including grazing livestock, heather burning & afforestation.
The WaterLANDS UK team, led by Yorkshire Integrated Catchment Solutions Programme iCASP at University of Leeds is working with the Great North Bog to support the coordination of wider investment and upscaling of restoration measures through co-creation with regional stakeholders.
Thank you to Andrew Walker Yorkshire Water, Jenny Sharmer & Lyndon Marquis Yorkshire Peat Partnership, Joseph Holden & Richard Grayson University of Leeds & landowners Helen and Malcolm of Nethergill Farm for taking part in the filming. Also to videographer Dan Waters of Adarak for his expertise.
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