A major project to restore vital peatlands to Canford Heath has been completed.
More than 37 hectares of land – the equivalent of 53 football pitches – has undergone extensive re-wetting since the start of the year.
The work forms part of a £1 million project by Dorset Peat Partnership – of which BCP Council is a partner – to restore 16 peatlands across the county.
Canford Heath’s restoration has taken around six weeks with fire-damaged pines removed and repurposed to create a functioning bog system.
Timber from the pines has been used to block drainage channels; dense areas of Molinia grass tussocks have been reduced to increase groundwater saturation, and contour bunds have been created with peat to hold water behind.
All of this work improves the habitat for nature and reduces the risk of urban wildfires.
The work is necessary after habitats have become drier and peat soils degraded because of man-made drainage in recent years. It is hoped the re-wetting of Canford Heath will help rare species to thrive once again – including dragonflies.
Peatlands help to manage flooding and droughts and are capable of holding up to 50 times their weight in water.
Re-wetting and restoring the formation of peats helps reduce greenhouse gases by capturing up to three times as much carbon as woodlands.
Healthy peat locks away carbon in a way that survives waterlogged conditions – helping to counteract the main driver behind rising temperatures..
Cllr Andy Hadley, Portfolio Holder for Climate Response, Environment and Energy, said: “I am delighted to see the completion of such important work at Canford Heath.
“Peatlands across Dorset have, unfortunately, been in a state of decline over recent years; this project secures essential revitalisation to the habitats.
“Restoring peatlands will deliver long term ecological benefits for the surrounding areas and help protect the many species that live in our wetlands and help protect the urban area from flooding events.”
Grace Hervé, Project Manager at Dorset Peat Partnership, said: “After many months of planning, it’s great to see the works completed and to already see water being stored on the heath using nature-based solutions.
“We hope that local users will be impressed with the new habitats that will form in the future.”
Dorset Peat Partnership, led by Dorset Wildlife Trust, has worked to restore 172 hectares of damaged peatlands over the last eighteen months.
The £1 million grant is 75 per cent funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme.
The remaining £250,000 is sourced from other partners and private donors.