Llyr Gruffydd MS Member of the Senedd for North Wales

On a visit to Hafod Elwy, high up above Llyn Brenig in Conwy County, Llyr Gruffydd saw for himself the vital restoration work at work on the precious peatland habitat and said-

“For a long time, we’ve neglected, ignored and often abused this vitally important habitat. Now we’re starting to understand its importance, not only at a local level, but on a global scale too.
“The work carried out by this small team really does make a difference, and the results are already becoming visible.”

Peatlands are a vital carbon store, and can store many times more carbon than even he densest of forests. Only 4% of Wales’s land area is peatland, but retain around 30% of our land Carbon. Sadly, around 90% of our peatlands are damaged, and in a damaged state they invariably leech carbon back to the atmosphere.

Llyr Gruffydd added-
“The process involved in the restoration is simple. Firstly, the hydrology is fixed, which means that excessive drainage of the land is reversed. The rest is left to nature. Vital plant species like the sphagnum family soon return, and within years the increase in biodiversity is astounding.
“The Hafod Elwy site is a former conifer plantation, which was planted when peatlands weren’t recognised as ecologically important. The last remaining signs of the trees are disappearing and a natural equilibrium is being restored. Now we have water voles, snipes some curlew and a range of plant species returning home to the site.”

The benefits of the restoration of the peatland doesn’t end with carbon-capture and biodiversity, it has benefits beyond the site. The water run-off from the land is in far better condition than from damaged land, but more importantly, it helps reduce flooding further down the catchment area. Peatlands work like huge sponges – soaking up rainwater in wetter months, and releasing water slowly during drier times of the year.

The project in Hafod Elwy is administered by Natural Resources Wales and is funded by the Welsh Government.

To learn more about Natural Resources Wales’s National Peatland Action Programme click-
Natural Resources Wales / The National Peatland Action Programme (cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk)