Kinder Scout – an iconic part of our countryside is literally crumbling away. Unless something is done to stop the rapid erosion Kinder is suffering, this magnificent landscape and environmentally critical place could be devastated within a matter of years.
Kinder Scout is more than just a landmark. It’s a vital part of our fight against climate change
Kinder Scout is an extraordinary place. Its peatland plateau provides a habitat for some of our most vulnerable upland species, including the golden plover and the mountain hare. It is also a much-loved escape for people living in nearby towns and cities. Not to mention its great historical significance, as the site of the Mass Trespass of 1932, which led to better access to vast areas of the countryside.
More importantly, Kinder Scout is the location of one of our country’s most valuable peat deposits – and absolutely crucial to our future.
© NTPL / Joe Cornish
Why is peat so important?
When healthy and intact, peat soils have the rare ability to store and absorb excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, helping to reduce the greenhouse gases we are all so worried about. However, at Kinder the peat has become so degraded that, instead of reducing carbon in the air, it is actively releasing it back into the atmosphere.
A potent combination of acid rainfall over the last two centuries, major wildfires and past excessive grazing have made it harder and harder for sensitive peat plants to survive. Without the stabilising effect of plant root systems, peat – which has taken thousands of years to form – becomes exposed and dried out. So when it rains, it is easily washed away, creating deep gullies across the landscape and polluting the drinking water supply that surrounding areas rely on.
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What are we doing?
Since the National Trust acquired Kinder 25 years ago, we and our volunteers have been working hard to slow the erosion and breathe new life into the area. But, the area is still at risk and we now need to speed up the restoration process, before irreparable damage is done.
This summer, we need to plant over 150,000 cotton grass plugs – and, as winter approaches, we also need to spread heather seeds and brash by helicopter. Both of these are essential to the restoration of the peatland landscape. The roots of cotton grass plants stabilise the peat, while the tops protect the surface against the elements. Heather brash helps create a protective ‘skin’ over the vulnerable bare peat, creating a microclimate for seeds to grow in.
© NTPL / Joe Cornish
How your gift will help
- £25 will help us to fight erosion and protect Kinder Scout’s precious peatland – by planting 45 cotton grass seedlings, whose roots will stabilise the peat.
- £30 will help create a secure future for threatened wildlife – by enabling us to restore the habitat they require to survive and breed in.
- £50 will help peatland plants to flourish – by paying for ten bales of heather brash. This is spread over the exposed peat by helicopter, to create a protective microclimate in which seedlings can grow.
For every £1 you give £2 of essential work can be done at Kinder Scout.
The government agency Natural England has earmarked £500,000 of match funding for Kinder. Match funding is when a partner organisation pledges money for a cause. But it can only be released when the same amount is raised by us.
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