Working together to help protect Unity Bog

28 Mar 2012 01:49 PM

Unity Bog, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in north Cumbria, has had a makeover this spring to help bring the area back to life as a haven for wetland-loving wildlife.

The 10 ha (23 acres) SSSI near Brampton is an important example of a ‘lowland raised peatbog’, a habitat that is now nationally rare and a priority habitat for conservation. Created over thousands of years, as a result of the decay of sphagnum mosses that slowly form a dome of peat up to 10m deep, many of these special sites have already been lost or are now at risk of drying out.

Natural England, the Government’s adviser on nature conservation, has helped with habitat restoration work to make the bog ‘wetter and better’ with funding from an Environmental Stewardship Higher Level Scheme agreement at Unity Farm, where the bog is situated. Old drains have been blocked to help hold more water on the site and some of the trees that have been responsible for sucking up precious water – the lifeblood of a peatbog - have been cleared from the surface of the site. Areas where peat has been cut in the past have been re-profiled to encourage wildlife to move in and low, peat dams around the perimeter of the bog will help keep the site wet.

Emma Austin, Conservation and Land Management Adviser for Natural England in Cumbria, said: “The work at Unity Bog will improve habitat for wildlife - such as sundews, bog rosemary, cotton grasses and cranberry -which has adapted to live in this unique habitat. Before too long, we should see a rich bog community returning, including wetland-loving birds, beautiful butterflies and gorgeous dragonflies. Although the restoration work might initially look a bit unsightly, it will heal some of the past damage to the bog and help it to regenerate naturally in future.”

Birds such as snipe and curlews should return to the area, along with rare plants, dazzling dragonflies, like the white-faced darter, and multicoloured sphagnum mosses.

Located between two footpaths adjacent to Gelt Woods, the area is popular with walkers, runners and cyclists and Natural England hopes that the return of wetland wildlife to the site will provide new interest for local people and visitors alike.

Emma added: “People have been drawn to peatbogs since ancient times and they have served as sacred sites and essential sources of food and fuel. The north Cumbrian bogs were already ancient when the Vikings arrived in the county and have been a valued source of fuel, medicines and dyes for the new settlers and for many generations of local people since. As a result of the work at Unity Bog, we hope that people will be able to get a glimpse of how these ancient sites once looked and wildlife will find a new wetland haven in north Cumbria.”

Peatland restoration is a cost effective, natural solution to reduce national carbon emissions. With over 10% of global CO2 emissions coming from degraded peatlands around the world their condition has major implications on climate change, as well as the alleviation of flooding, the quality of our water supplies and the future of many rare and important species.

Simon Humphries, Natural England’s Area Manager for Cumbria added: “Peatlands are not only important for wildlife but also have a vital part to play in carbon storage and provide us with a wide range of public benefits. It’s vital that we take action now to stop the rot and ensure that peatlands are properly looked after as one of our most precious environmental resources.”

Since the beginning of the 19th century, 94% of the raised bogs in Britain have been damaged or destroyed and most of the remaining English sites are now found in Cumbria. In northern England a range of restoration projects are already underway to secure a more sustainable future for the area’s precious peatbogs. Natural England is involved peatland restoration work at Wedholme Flow near Carlisle and supports the work of peat restoration projects like the award-winning North Pennines AONB Partnership’s Peatscapes project, which is working to conserve and enhance internationally important peatland.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are the country's top wildlife and geological sites and provide vital refuges for wildlife and essential free natural resources for people. There are more than 4,100 SSSIs covering more than a million hectares of the land surface of England – more than eight per cent of the country.

ends

For further information (media enquiries only) please contact:
David Hirst, Natural England press office - david.hirst@naturalengland.org.uk

Additional notes:

The waterlogged, acidic bog habitat provides a challenging place for wildlife to live, but an amazing range of wildlife has evolved to survive in the unique conditions. Jewel-like sphagnum mosses, rare butterflies and plants – including carnivorous insect-eating plants, such a sundews – are all found here. Peatbogs are a fantastic place to see dragonflies and damselflies as they hunt and court over the wetland pools.
More than ninety per cent of the UK’s lowland peat bogs have been damaged or destroyed and the lowland peatlands of north Cumbria and the Solway are a rare survivor of a spectacular, ancient and wild wetland landscape. For thousands of years, the remains of mosses and other plants have been slowly accumulating to create domes of thick peat. The resulting mosaic of waterlogged land and open pools has encouraged a unique wildlife community to flourish.
Ditches cut through a bog gradually dry the ground out so it is no longer suitable for peat-forming mosses to grow. Over time, scrub plants can get a foothold and as the trees grow they suck the watery lifeblood out of the bog. If left unchecked, the rare wetland habitat becomes dense woodland and the specialist wetland wildlife that relies on these sites is lost
England’s damaged peatlands are releasing almost three million tonnes of CO2 each year - equivalent to the average emissions of over 350,000 households. The high level of damage means that the reservoir of 580 million tonnes of carbon stored in England’s peatbogs is now slowly leaking back into the atmosphere.

Environmental Stewardship

Environmental stewardship schemes are administered by Natural England, on behalf of Defra, and fund farmers and land managers throughout England to deliver effective environmental management on their land.

The objectives of Environmental Stewardship are to:

Promote public access and understanding of the countryside
Maintain and enhance landscape quality and character
Protect the historic environment and natural resources
Conserve biodiversity

About Natural England
Natural England is the government’s advisor on the natural environment. Established in 2006 our work is focused on enhancing England’s wildlife and landscapes and maximising the benefits they bring to the public.

We establish and care for England’s main wildlife and geological sites, ensuring that over 4,000 National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest are looked after and improved.
We work to ensure that England’s landscapes are effectively protected, designating England’s National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and advising on their conservation.
We run England’s Environmental Stewardship green farming schemes that deliver over £400 million a year to farmers and landowners, enabling them to enhance the natural environment across two thirds of England’s farmland.
We fund, manage, and provide scientific expertise for hundreds of conservation projects each year, improving the prospects for thousands of England’s species and habitats.
We promote access to the wider countryside, helping establish National Trails and coastal trails and ensuring that the public can enjoy and benefit from them.