Restoring the Moors
Our Day with Moors for the Future
Earlier this year the Goyt Valley wildfires reminded us just how fragile the landscape is in which we craft spirits here at Forest Distillery. Our home in the uplands means we are not just observers: we are part of that landscape, beneficiaries of its beauty and guardians of its health.
So when the Moors for the Future Partnership got in touch to seek our assistance with a restoration project and their volunteer days, we couldn’t say no.
Who are Moors for the Future?
The Moors for the Future Partnership is a collaboration of public and private organisations dedicated to restoring and conserving upland moorland, especially blanket bogs, across the the Peak District and South Pennine moors.
Their work is wide-ranging:
- Raising awareness of the importance of moors and encouraging responsible use and care of these upland landscapes.
- Protecting and conserving moorland habitats, working across ownership boundaries so restoration can happen at landscape scale.
- Restoring degraded peatlands: re-wetting moors, blocking erosion gullies, planting vegetation, especially peat-forming plants like sphagnum moss.
- Supporting citizen science, research and monitoring to build an evidence base of what works, and delivering outreach/events to engage volunteers and communities.
In short: they are doing the hard graft of bringing damaged moors back to life.
Why planting sphagnum moss matters...
Here are some of the benefits that restoration work (particularly reintroducing sphagnum moss in blanket bog) brings:
-
Peat formation & carbon storage
Sphagnum moss is fundamental to an active blanket bog. In wet, waterlogged acidic conditions, dead parts of sphagnum decompose very slowly, accumulating as peat over long time periods. Healthy peat bogs are among the UK’s largest carbon stores. Damaged peat bogs can release large amounts of stored carbon; restoring them helps prevent carbon loss and re-sequester CO₂. -
Water regulation and quality
Sphagnum retains a remarkable amount of water; in restored bogs it acts effectively like a sponge. That means during heavy rain, water is captured rather than running off straight downhill. This helps reduce flood risk downstream by slowing flow of rain water, and helps filter water feeding reservoirs or streams, improving water quality. -
Reducing wildfire risk
Healthy, waterlogged blanket bog is less likely to burn than dried-out or bare peat. By restoring vegetation and rewetting, risk of wildfires is reduced. -
Biodiversity and habitat
Blanket bogs are home to specialist moorland plants and wildlife. Restoring sphagnum moss opens up habitat for specialist species, helps native moorland plants to re-establish, and supports upland wildlife. -
Cultural, recreational and wellbeing benefits
Restored moors are not just ecological assets - they are places for people to walk, enjoy nature, and benefit mental / physical wellbeing. Healthy moors are more resilient landscapes to explore.
Our day volunteering
Here is a little snapshot from our day volunteering with them:
- A group of 20 volunteers (a Forest Distillery Weasel, locals and other nature enthusiasts) gathered at the iconic Cat and Fiddle as our base camp for the rest of the year’s restoration work.
- We planted 4,800 sphagnum moss plugs in one session, hand planting each plug into specially prepared areas.
- It was a bracing upland day: wind, damp ground, typical upland weather, sandwiches packed and shared.
- Great conversations, meeting new people who are passionate about the moors, swapping stories from walking, nature, local knowledge.
- It felt good to be hands on: to see the bare or damaged peat being given new life, plug by plug, knowing that each little moss plug contributes to restoring the bog over years to come.
What it means for us
As a distillery crafting spirits in the Peak District National Park, moments like this have special meaning:
- We see first-hand the landscape that influences our water, climate, and character. Supporting restoration is not just giving back: it protects the long-term health of our upstream environment.
- Restored moors help ensure sustainable water catchment, as wetter bogs feed reservoirs or springs that may influence water quality or availability.
- Participating in conservation connects us with the broader upland community and helps strengthen our relationship with the place we draw from (both inspiration and natural resources).
- We hope that by sharing our volunteering and involvement, others in the region will see how local businesses can contribute in practical ways.
Looking ahead
- For the remainder of the year, the Cat and Fiddle remains as a base camp for volunteer sessions with Moors for the Future, helping planting, monitoring, peat restoration and education.
- We plan to document updates: how the sphagnum plugs slowly grow, how restoration progresses, and what difference it begins to make across the the restored blanket bog.
- We invite our community- customers, local walkers, neighbours to join future volunteer days. Everyone can help restore these upland landscapes we share.
