Peatland Restoration (Burns Beck, Cumbria Wildlife Trust - Case Study)

Check out further details of the case study as well as images taken from the project.

• Client: Cumbria Wildlife Trust

• Location: Burns Beck, Killington, Kendal, Cumbria. 

• Size: 10Ha

• Status: Degraded SSSi

About The Site / Project

TreeClear UK were requested to action and implement various restoration techniques for our client, Cumbria Wildlife Trust at Burns Beck, Kendal. 

This is one of few SSSIs in this part of the country that has been significantly degraded due to a combination of human activities, natural causes, and poor management.

Our highly-experienced and dedicated team were requested to carry out two phases of restoration:

Phase 1: With only 3 weeks to complete we had to mulch the line of the new river, dig the settlement ponds, excavate the new channel, install the timber dams and finish all in-river works which were all done and completed on time.  

Phase 2: The remainder of the peatland restoration works consisted of mulching the whole site, deep trench bunding around the perimeter, creating all the cell bunds and installing the water control systems. We had a seven-week window to complete these works and completed a fortnight before the deadline. 

Individual works included:

• Clearing line of river channel

• Creating new river channel

• Water filtration

• Built heavy-duty dams

• Connecting new river channel

• Deep trench bunding

• Cell bunds

• Installing water control system

1.) Clear Line Of River Channel

The first job was to clear the line of the new river channel. Using specialist low ground pressure excavators with custom built disc mulching heads trees, scrub, heather and tussock grass were mulched down to ground level. Mulching reduces woody vegetation into a small particle size leaving the site clean and tidy. Mulching down to ground level helps show the contours of the site and leaves a much better surface to assist with digging, ditching and bunding works. 

2.) New River Channel

A new meandering channel 420m long 3m wide and 1m deep with sloping sides which would allow the beck to eventually flow through the site at a much slower pace than previously.  

3.) Water Filtration

Two settlement ponds where excavated 100m away from the new channel the ponds included silt fencing and straw bales placed around the outlet to act as sediment traps. Two dams were created in the new channel to stop the water from flowing into the beck at the downstream section of the site. 

Water was constantly pumped from the dams to the settlement ponds while the river channel excavations and the in-river workings took place. Water from the settlement pond was allowed to filter back through the peat which resulted in clean filtered water returning back into the river.  

4.) Timber Dams

We prebuilt 11 heavy duty timber dams in our workshop before delivering them to site and installing them into the old river channel at 50m intervals. 

The dams were back filled with peat to form a series of pools in the centre of the site.  

5.) Connecting New River Channel

Once all in river workings were completed and the water had been pumped and filtered through the settlement ponds the old river was blocked off and the new channel connected allowing Burns Beck to run its new course through the centre of the site.  

6.) Deep Trench Bunding

A deep trench bund was created by digging to a depth of 1.5m compacting the peat and forming a seal around the perimeter of the site. 

This method of bunding will help stop the flow of water and help stop unwanted run off from sub surface streams or drains. On the surface a 3m wide bund was formed to allow for future access across the site.

7.) Cell Bunds

Over 7Ha of cells were dug across either side of the new river channel. The cells were created to suit the topography of the land and varied in size according to their location. 

Cell bunds will help hold water maintain the water level across the site for years to come. 

8.) Installing Water Control Systems

A series of small timber dams were installed in the most suitable bund walls to help distribute and maintain the required level of water across the site. 

These dams were put in at predetermined locations which would be most effective inline with the topography of the site. 

Why Choose Treeclear UK?

Treeclear UK provide peatland restoration and reinstatement works across the UK for various wildlife trusts and SSSIs. SSSI restoration involves mulching, deep trench bunding, water flow control, river creation and dam construction. However, there are a number of other techniques and methods that are also commonly used in restoration projects. 

Qualifications and member organisations we’re proud to be a part of include;-

• Construction Skills Certificate Scheme (CSCS)

• City & Guilds NPTC qualified including (FMOC) 

• Members Forest Industry Safety Accord (FISA)