Peatland Recovery Project Watermillock and Matterdale Commons

Delivering the restoration works, we are proud to play a key role in an ambitious peatland recovery project across Watermillock and Matterdale Commons in the Ullswater catchment.

Working in partnership with the National Trust, Ecosulis, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Forest of Bowland National Landscape, and United Utilities, and funded through Natural England’s Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme, our team is undertaking large-scale restoration to return these degraded peatlands to healthy, functioning blanket bogs.

Our work is part of a wider programme aiming to restore ten sites across the Lake District and Forest of Bowland National Landscape. At Watermillock and Matterdale Commons, we are currently restoring around 500 hectares.

Key Works Undertaken:

• Re-profiling hags and gullies to control erosion and aid re vegetation

• Constructing mini-dams, peat bunds, and drain blocks to re-wet the bog and retain moisture

• Planting peatland-specialist vegetation including sphagnum mosses, cotton grasses, and crowberry to kick start habitat recovery

These interventions will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the degraded peat, increase carbon capture, support biodiversity, and help mitigate downstream flooding.

We are proud to bring our expertise in nature-based solutions to this critical work and to contribute meaningfully to the restoration of some of the UK’s most valuable upland ecosystems.