en.Wedoany.com Reported - South West Water announced on World Peatlands Day that the South West Peatland Partnership, led by the company, has completed the restoration of 5,000 hectares of peatland in the southwest of England.
The restoration programme covers Dartmoor, Exmoor, Bodmin Moor, and West Penwith. The restoration team is repairing damaged peatland ecosystems to enhance their capacity for carbon storage, water regulation, and wildlife support.
Peatlands are among the world's most important carbon sinks, but degraded peat releases carbon and other greenhouse gases when dry. In the UK, approximately 80% of peatlands are damaged, requiring long-term restoration and sustainable management. The South West Peatland Partnership has restored 5,000 hectares of peatland, preventing further degradation. The organisation works with landowners, farmers, conservation groups, local authorities, and water utilities to implement rewetting, water flow reduction, erosion mitigation, and conditions conducive to peat-forming mosses and wetland species recovery.
According to the partnership, restored peatlands can support wildlife, protect archaeological heritage, improve water quality, and enhance landscape resilience to climate change. Healthy peatlands play a role in natural water management by slowing rainwater flow across upland landscapes, helping regulate river and stream flows, supporting clean water sources, and reducing downstream flood risks.
South West Water volunteers participated in restoration work on Dartmoor, including constructing wooden baffles and carefully planned tree planting. These efforts aim to trap sediment, slow water flow, diversify habitats, and reduce erosion of carbon-rich peat. Tree species planted at approved sites include grey willow, oak, hawthorn, alder, and rowan, helping to stabilise water levels and create habitats for birds and insects.
Peatland restoration is a long-term process, with peat forming at a rate of approximately 1 millimetre per year. Newly rewetted sites may show early signs of recovery, including increased insect activity, the return of wading birds, and improved conditions for peat-forming vegetation. Restoring peatlands also supports broader environmental resilience by preserving millennia of history stored within the peat and maintaining one of the world's largest terrestrial carbon sinks.
Morag Angus, Manager of the South West Peatland Partnership, said that World Peatlands Day is an important opportunity to raise awareness of peatlands and restoration efforts, especially as they may play an increasingly critical role in mitigating the climate crisis. Carolyn Cadman, Chief Sustainability and Natural Resources Officer at South West Water, stated that peatlands are vital to ecosystems due to their ability to store carbon and slow rainwater flow, and that the work of the South West Peatland Partnership is necessary and inspiring, with South West Water proud to continue supporting it as the lead partner organisation.
As part of a broader awareness campaign, travellers passing through St Pancras International station can see an adaptation of "The Composer's Cabin" by garden designer Martha Krempel. This immersive garden, which first appeared at the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, uses music, storytelling, and peatland-inspired planting to raise public awareness of peatland conservation and sustainable peat-free gardening. The installation also includes a peat core provided by the South West Peatland Partnership, allowing visitors to visually understand the historical layers stored in peatland environments. The partnership also supported the film "The Living Layer," produced by Here Now Films in Cornwall, celebrating peatlands and their restoration team, which was named overall winner at the 2026 Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival.
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