Updated: Added the summer 2018 issues of the 3 community newsletters.
The EU’s LIFE+ programme awarded Natural England a grant of £2.5 million for the Cumbrian Bogs LIFE+ project. This funding will be used over 5 years to:
- restore 507 hectares of damaged lowland raised bog within 3 sites in Cumbria:
- Bolton Fell Moss Site of Community Importance
- South Solway Mosses Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
- Roudsea Wood and Mosses SAC
- use the sites to demonstrate a range of restoration techniques to managers of similar habitats and to wider audiences
- monitor the recovery process and share best practice guidance about the restoration techniques
- raise awareness about the importance and value of the sites and lowland raised bog habitats through:
- events
- education programmes
- newsletters
- website and social media
- mid-term and end of project conferences
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Natural England have provided an additional 50% of match funding.
Background
Lowland raised bogs are one of the one of the rarest wildlife habitats in the world. This habitat is very important for biodiversity and for its critical role in carbon storage. The aim is to reduce past damage from:
- woodland
- scrub invasion
- invasive species
- peat extraction
- land drainage for agriculture
Contact
Email: tony.devos@naturalengland.org.uk
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