Boost for Wigan borough peat bog thanks to vital funding

The land, which borders Astley Moss and is situated next to Astley village, has been acquired by a wildlife trust with a view to creating a continuous ecological corridor in the area.

The land will be restored back to its natural state, creating habitats for wildlife and reducing the carbon emissions from the degraded land.

Like many lowland peat bogs, the land had been drained to be used for agriculture and the degraded, exposed peat soil is now emitting large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

The purchase of the land by the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside has been made possible thanks to funding from Veolia Environmental Trust.

The new land will be especially beneficial to the large heath butterfly population which has been reintroduced on neighbouring Astley Moss, designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

In 2020, the Trust successfully reintroduced the butterfly back to Astley Moss, after it had been absent in the area for over 150 years. The return of the ‘Manchester Argus’ as it is locally known at the site is a positive sign that the biodiversity in the area can be bolstered.

Caroline Schwaller MBE, Chair of the Veolia Environmental Trust said: “We’re delighted to be able to continue supporting the fantastic work of the Lancashire Wildlife Trust in protecting our planet’s precious peatlands. Not only will this project help reduce carbon emissions, but it will also provide a perfect habitat for biodiversity to flourish."