MEP praises work to rescue threatened moor

Linda McAvan, a member of the European Parliament’s environment committee, paid tribute to the work on a visit to Snailsden reservoir near Holmfirth.

Peatland around the reservoir had fallen into poor condition, largely as a result of air pollution, intensive farming practices and wild fires.

Almost 30,000 acres are now recovering, according to Yorkshire Water, whose moorland restoration programme began in 2003.

The work has seen drainage channels, created by farmers to remove water from the moorland, being blocked.

This is to slow the flow of water through the land and help keep the moorland, and the peat it contains, wetter for longer, which is essential for its health.

The work has supported the growth of sphagnum moss, boosting the ecosystem and helping to further enhance biodiversity.

The project has also boosted peatland reserves in the region, which serve as some of the largest natural carbon reservoirs in the UK.

Linda McAvan said: “The work Yorkshire Water has put into the restoration of the moorland is really valuable. It is not just the purity of our water that is being improved. By helping to restore peatlands, an increasingly rare habitat that is under threat in other parts of the UK is being protected.

“Protecting peat bogs, which act as a carbon store, is also an important part of our strategy to combat climate change. This project is already seeing impressive results and will hopefully let our peatlands prosper once more.”

Lisa Harrowsmith, Yorkshire Water’s senior rural surveyor, said the work has revived often iconic landscapes and significantly boosted biodiversity. “It has also helped to significantly improve water quality as keeping the moors wetter for longer helps to reduce colour loss and ensures peat remains where it belongs.”