WATER QUALITY
By improving the health of our moors, and specifically banket bogs, we can improve the quality of water, naturally, at source, long before it reaches our rivers and reservoirs or is consumed by the public.
The Heather Trust knows that our uplands hold the key to water quality in many parts of the UK. When blanket bogs are in good condition, the water that runs off them into drinking water reservoirs is usually cleaner, thanks to specialist moorland plants such as Sphagnum moss that ‘filter’ the water.
However, due to a combination of factors (including human activity) many of our blanket bogs are degraded and the surface can be dry. Some are actively eroding which causes carbon, in the form of peat, to be released into the water, reducing its quality.
Land managers have an important role to play in ensuring water catchments are managed properly, encouraging the raising of water tables and mosaic vegetation habitats that work in balance with other sustainable moorland practices.
Re-vegetating damaged areas also helps to reduce erosion and slow the rate and amount of water flowing downhill. This means less sediment will be present in the water and results in a natural and sustainable way of reducing purification and treatment costs as well as alleviating flood risk.
Healthy well-functioning blanket bogs are less likely to burn and with the threat of wildfires in the UK on the rise, this is a crucial mitigation strategy.
The Heather Trust advocates for sensitive and balanced land management that takes a holistic view of all that moorland can provide, including water quality.
Find out more about how the uplands improve water quality in our Reading Room
