37 hectares of peatlands restored after years of being “in state of decline”
There are hopes to revive the habitat's of rare species in Canford Heath as part of a £1million project
Part of a £1 million project to save rare species by restoring Dorset’s peatlands has now been completed.
It is hoped the re-wetting of Canford Heath will revitalise habitats and help rare species thrive once again.
Cllr Andy Hadley said: “I am delighted to see the completion of such important work at Canford Heath as peatlands across Dorset have, unfortunately, been in a state of decline over recent years.
“Restoring peatlands will deliver long term ecological benefits for the surrounding areas and help protect the many species that live in our wetlands and help protect the urban area from flooding events.”
Canford Heath’s restoration has taken around six weeks and will reduce the risk of urban wildfires.
The work is necessary after habitats have become drier and peat soils degraded in recent years.
The restoration of peats will help reduce greenhouse gases as it captures up to three times as much carbon as woodlands.
Peatlands also help to manage flooding and droughts and can hold up to 50 times their weight in water.
Grace Hervé, Project Manager at Dorset Peat Partnership, said: “After many months of planning, it’s great to see the works completed and to already see water being stored on the heath using nature-based solutions. We hope that local users will be impressed with the new habitats that will form in the future”.
Dorset Peat Partnership, led by Dorset Wildlife Trust, has worked to restore 172 hectares of damaged peatlands over the last eighteen months.
The £1million grant is 75% funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme the remaining £250,000 is sourced from other partners and private donors.