Tuesday 1st April 2025: Our team spent two days in the North Pennines National Landscape and UNESCO Global Geopark, with the cottongrass helping to revegetate the peat ground.
At Sisk, caring for the environment is a key part of our sustainability strategy, and this great event helps to support that. For example, in 2023 Sisk volunteers helped plant nearly 500,000 trees.
As the cottongrass plugs grow their roots will spread like a mat, holding the peat surface together, slowing the flow of water over the top and reducing erosion...crucial in this area of natural beauty. Peatlands are habitats of vital importance, providing key services such as carbon storage, storing and purifying water and supporting biodiversity.
Rebekah Bainbridge, Field Officer at the North Pennines National Landscape said: “Having the support of Sisk and Speedy Hire in purchasing and planting cottongrass plugs for a second year has been brilliant. The volunteers worked hard despite the cold and wintery weather conditions and the plugs they planted will add to the other restoration techniques to help restore this degraded peatland. This will help to restore these vital habitats and reduce the loss of carbon, increase biodiversity and help to mitigate flood risk further downstream.”