United Utilities scores peatland goal with area bigger than 4,000 football pitches restored

United Utilities is bringing bogs back to life on its land and in the last five years has already improved over 3,000 hectares – or 4,200 football pitches – of peatland across the North West.

Healthy peatlands, often also known as blanket bog, provide numerous benefits including carbon capture from the atmosphere and natural drainage. They also boost biodiversity by providing a habitat for numerous animal and plant species.                                                                                           

Having already achieved its target of restoring 3,000 hectares of peatland by 2030, the water company for the North West has now made a commitment to restore at least another 1,500 hectares in the next five years.

Huge areas of peatland across the North West and the UK have been previously damaged with much of it being drained for farming or industrial purposes. United Utilities has been working with partners including Moors for the Future since 2003 with the aim of returning peatlands to their natural state.

Damaged peatlands release carbon into the atmosphere, it is estimated that around 16 million tonnes of CO2e are being emitted into the atmosphere every year from damaged peatlands across the UK, restoring them can reduce this loss and enable them to once again capture and store carbon.

Rebecca Speed, Natural Capital Implementation Manager at United Utilities explained: “Restoring peatland has numerous benefits. As well as providing natural drainage benefits on our land, it acts as a natural filter which improves water quality and helps slow the flow of water running off the hills.

“As if that wasn’t enough, it also captures carbon and stores it in the soil which also helps improve air quality. Peat bogs are the unsung heroes of the natural world.”

A range of techniques from blocking drainage channels, vegetation planting and mulching are used to help bring bogs back to life. James Airton, United Utilities’ Estates and Land Manager, explained: “About a third of our land is blanket bog and is in various stages of restoration. It is an ongoing process to gradually improve the condition.                                                                 

“Peat has been degrading in moorland areas for hundreds of years, it is only in the last 25 years or so that projects have been taking place, here in the North West and other areas, to begin the process of repairing that damage and restoring these really important habitats.                                               

“We couldn’t deliver this without the help of our partners in the Great North Bog including Moors for the Future, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, the RSPB, Lancashire Peat Partnership and Pennine PeatLIFE. We’re very grateful to them for their ongoing commitment. Most of the restoration work takes place over winter and it can be tough going working up on an exposed hill side in the wind and rain, but it is worth it when you see the peat bogs thriving and wildlife returning.”