Armboth Fell Peatland Restoration

Where:

• Phase 1 was centered around ‘the Pewits’ between the peaks of High Seat and High Tove
• Phase 2 was concentrated on the slopes just to the north of High Seat
• Phase 3 will complete the restoration of the area and stretches from near Armboth Fell in the south to Bleaberry Fell and Low Moss in the North.  It also extends on the slopes west of the ridge line towards Watendlath and Ashness Bridge.

Restoration area: Phase 1: 22ha, Phase 2: 54ha, Phase 3: 331ha

Landowner: Phase 1: United Utilities & National Trust, Phase 2: National Trust, Phase 3: National Trust and United Utilities

Conservation status:  Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Area of Conservation (SAC)

Restoration cost: Phase 1: £79,688.44 (not including path), Phase 2: £18,938.26, Phase 3: £158,974.536 (not including path)

The problem: 

Although the ridgeline around Armboth boasts some very good examples of peat habitats, there are/ were areas that were heavily degraded.  Problems have stemmed from past peat cutting for domestic use leaving exposed peat cliffs known as ‘hags’ that can reach over 2m in height in places.  These are then exposed to the elements and are left ‘high and dry’ and unconnected to the water table.  These hags are exacerbated by overgrazing and mechanical erosion from sheep and deer as well as dry peat breaking off and washing into watercourses.  They are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate crisis where hot dry summers bake, dry and crack the peat, followed by intense storm events that wash peat away.  As erosion continues, hags and cracks join up and form what are known as gullies and funnel water fast off the hillside, further eroding and drying out the peat.

The north of the site has also been subject to burning and draining of the peat, through the creation of drainage channels known as ‘grips’.  These are man-made for the purpose of drying the peat so more suitable conditions and vegetation are available for more sheep to be put on the fells.  Many of the grips are very old and date back as far as the 1950s and even earlier in some areas.

If too many livestock are on the fells then, there is a risk of overgrazing which can expose peat to the elements, which further allows the peat to dry out.

In recent years fell walkers joining up Wainwright peaks have contributed to linear ridge top erosion.  The peat has/ had become very ‘mushy’ and no longer had any structure which has meant there is very little vegetation in these areas and in some areas the peat has eroded away completely to bedrock.

What Cumbria Wildlife Trust did:

Phase 1: 2020/21

Hags reprofiled: 8,459m, 0.478ha revegetated, 18.048ha arc bunded, 5,453m² of small islands of peat reprofiled and returfed. Worked with partner organisation Fix the Fells to install a 216m approx. flagged path to allow walkers to enjoy the land scape whilst protecting the peat. Through the Pewits from High Tove.

Phase 2: 2021/22

1008m hags reprofiled, 497m gullies reprofiled and blocked, 6.31 ha arc bund created and 279m of peat pipes blocked.

Phase 3: Scheduled in for 2024

• Hags reprofiled: 12,974.16m
• Gullies reprofiled and dammed: 1,644.12m
• Grips (drains) reprofiled and dammed: 2,029.7m
• Arc bunds created: 4,524m
• Barepeat returfed: 0.1947ha
• Peat pipes blocked: 307m
• Xx amount of footpath from High Seat to Blaeberry Fell as well around High Tove and Ashness Fell.  Working with Fix the Fells as in phase 1

Benefits: 

Water storage and slow release in rain, helping to prevent lowland flooding

Water filtering – sphagnum is great at filtering water, and over 70% of UK’s drinking water is from upland catchments of peatlands.  Water companies spend millions taking out the eroded peat in water that makes streams and rivers look like a ‘tea’ colour, which ultimately, we pay as customers.

Carbon storage – where peat remain wet, co2 is locked away and unavailable to contribute to climate crisis.  Once peat starts forming again, carbon is ‘sucked’ in to the peat and taking it away from processes requiring it to contribute to the climate crisis

Species benefitting: 

Sphagnum, Sundew, butterwort, bog rosemary, many dragonflies, hen harrier, merlin, red grouse and short eared owl are all examples of species that depend on intact peat habitats.