Cumbria Connect is breathing life back into peatlands in eastern Cumbria.  These vital habitats are like giant sponges in the landscape, naturally soaking up water, storing carbon and supporting wildlife.

Healthy peatlands store carbon for thousands of years, but years of drainage and erosion have left many bogs dried out and damaged, releasing harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere and accelerating climate change.

Working with Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the Cumbria Peat Partnership, we’re rewetting these areas, keeping the carbon locked away and bringing these precious areas back to life and ensuring they remain a vital part of Cumbria’s landscape for years to come.

Learn more about how we repair our peatland.

Grasslands are some of the most effective natural carbon stores, with the ability to sequester between 5–20 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare every year. Their deep-root systems trap carbon in the soil, making them an essential part of the fight against climate change.

By restoring grasslands, we’re not only improving carbon storage but also creating more resilient landscapes that support both farming and wildlife.

Grassland restoration also provides habitat for species like the Lapwing, which nests on the ground and relies on healthy grasslands for food and shelter. Field Voles, a vital food source for birds of prey such as Barn Owls, also thrive in these habitats.

At Wild Haweswater with the RSPB, Cumbria Connect is working as part of the Northwest and Southwest Rainforest Restoration project, to protect and expand Naddle Forest – a northern temperate rainforest and one of the UK’s rarest and most unique habitats.

Northern temperate rainforests are vital carbon stores because of their unique ability to capture and store carbon both above and below ground.  Working with our partners, we’re safeguarding these forests by planting native species such as Sessile Oaks, Rowan and Juniper, and creating new rainforest sites.  These trees will eventually become the seed source for natural regeneration.

By connecting existing patches and expanding these forests, we’re building a resilient network of rainforests that can withstand the challenges of climate change.

This project is funded by the Government’s Species Survival Fund.  The fund was developed by Defra and its Arm’s-Length Bodies.  It is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England and the Environment Agency.