South West Water to restore peatland at Burrator Reservoir

South West Water is taking proactive measures to promote sustainability by repurposing non-native conifer trees from its wastewater sites in Devon for peatland restoration initiatives. 

The logs obtained from the removal of conifer trees will be repurposed for peatland restoration work at Burrator Reservoir on Dartmoor and another site in Cornwall. 

This approach, part of a £13 million project led by South West Water, seeks to address the degradation of peat bogs while mitigating the impacts of climate change.

These efforts, spearheaded by the South West Peatland Partnership, aim to restore degraded peatlands in the region while simultaneously enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.

Barney Agar, South West Water’s Dartmoor Project Coordinator said: "At South West Water, we are paying real attention to which species are found on our sites and how we can make these sites better for wildlife." 

Mr Agar highlighted the importance of replacing non-native species with native broadleaf trees, which offer a wider array of benefits to local ecosystems.

"The wood removed from the sites will be used by the South West Peatland Partnership to create leaky wooden dams, or timber rounds," explained Mr Agar. 

These structures play a crucial role in trapping water within the environment, facilitating the restoration of dried and degraded peat bogs. 

Additionally, they contribute to the improvement of water quality in the area and aid in carbon sequestration.

Carolyn Cadman, Director of Natural Resources at South West Water said: "It's fantastic to be able to plant native broadleaf species and at the same time to reuse the removed logs in a sustainable way.”

This innovative approach is all part of a trial for biodiversity improvements that could potentially be scaled up across South West Water's sites if proven successful.