Restoration of the Peak District

Abstract:

The blanket peatlands of the Peak District in the UK have been heavily degraded and damaged, resulting in large areas of bare and eroding peat. The current climate crisis has led to an increased need for restoration of these highly degraded environments, as a pristine, healthy peatland can be a net sink of carbon, whereas damaged sites are generally net sources of carbon. The Moors for the Future Partnership aims to protect the uplands for the benefit of all, and have restored over 32 km² of bare peat in the Peak District.

In collaboration, the Universities of Manchester and Leeds are monitoring the impacts of Moors for the Future’s restoration works on bare peat and single species-dominated sites.

At highly degraded bare peat sites, various restoration treatments were applied including blocking gullies and spreading heather mulch, lime, fertilizer and seeds to provide an initial nurse crop of grasses. The impact of these treatments has been monitored for ten years, and results have shown a reduction in peak discharge and delayed stormflows.

At the species-dominated sites, Sphagnum plugs were planted after baseline monitoring for a year in catchments dominated by Calluna, Eriophorum and Molinia. Monitoring began in 2018 and is on-going, to investigate the impact of Sphagnum planting densities on the water chemistry and site hydrology, especially during storm events. The aim is to increase diversity of the sites, while reducing water colour and increasing the lag times during storms.

The implications of these studies will aid future peatland restoration projects, while improving the peatland state of large areas of the Peak District.