They’re the stunning photos showing how Severn Trent and partners have helped revive huge areas of Peak District moorlands and peatland - using nature to boost water quality, wildlife and biodiversity.

A special public event held at Derwent Reservoir heard how the company was helping repair huge environmental damage caused to the remote and rural area by the Industrial Revolution and air pollution, including smoke from coal-powered factories.

In 2015 Severn Trent signed up for a major conservation project called Moors for the Future Partnership, one of the UK’s biggest collaborative environmental projects.

It saw multiple organisations coming together to help breathe new life into the moorlands by reviving precious peatland through work including rewetting of the land by planting Sphagnum Moss and restoring natural gullies – and the results have been spectacular.

Amazing before and after pictures show once barren moors and peatlands are now flourishing lush-green habitats, full of fauna and flora and wildlife and birds.

Part of the success has been down to the mass hand-planting of Sphagnum Moss. The sponge-like plant can hold up to 20-times its weight in water which has helped to revive dried out peat bogs, creating a thriving habitat for wildlife.

Other work Severn Trent has been funding includes restoring natural gullies, which also hold more water back to re-wet and repair the damaged peatland.

The conservation programme saw Severn Trent’s biodiversity teams helping restore huge areas of moorlands and peatland. 

The success story was highlighted to Derbyshire Women’s Institute members and Bamford History Society at the event held at Derwent Reservoir, which supplies customers across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

They heard how Sphagnum Moss helps prevent peatland and soil erosion and improves raw water quality by providing a natural filter to catch peat particles and keep soil where it is needed, as well as helping the restoration of the peat itself which acts as huge carbon store, holding tonnes of CO2   The plant also slows down water flow during heavy downpours, helping prevent potential flooding, with the re-wetted land also helping reduce fire risk in the summer.

The cleaner water travels to the reservoirs of the Upper Derwent Valley (UDV) - Derwent, Howden and Ladybower - for further natural filtration.

It eventually flows to Severn Trent treatment works, where it is treated to the highest quality standard before being piped to homes and businesses across the East Midlands.

The story of Moors for the Future highlights how Severn Trent is investing millions of pounds in nature-based solutions to help provide some of the best quality water in the world for customers, with a workforce of 10,000 delivering 12 hours of quality and care behind every turn of the tap.

The scheme was part-funded in our region through Severn Trent’s Great Big Nature Boost, with Moors for the Future as the lead partners convening the expertise of the Peak District National Parks Authority, National Trust, RSPB, Natural England and the Environment Agency.

The water company has now signed up for to a further phase of restoration of this incredible landscape, Moor Resilience 2030, a new £25m five-year scheme to continue the conservation work across the moors and to help protect raw water quality.

Sam Wilson, Environmental Communications Lead at Severn Trent, said: “We’re proud to be playing our part in restoring these incredible landscapes, which are vital for nature and water quality.

“Healthy moorlands and peatland don’t just look beautiful, they help store carbon, slow the flow of water and protect the habitats that make the Peak District so special and an integral part of our community.

“This work shows the power of restoring nature to solve modern challenges. Sphagnum moss is a great example of that - it’s a simple, natural solution with a huge impact on water quality.

“By working with Moors for the Future Partnership and helping fund programmes like Moor Resilience 2030, we’re helping to rebuild these landscapes so they can naturally filter, store and protect our water supplies for generations to come.”

She added: “It’s a real privilege to continue to work collaboratively in this way and means we can achieve so much more together. We’re committed to continuing this work so these moors thrive for generations to come and look forward to this ongoing this valuable partnership.”

Dewi Jackson, Project Manager for Moors for the Future Partnership, said: “Restoring the upland landscape of the Peak District and South Pennines brings multiple benefits for us all – cleaner water, improved habitats for unique species, preserving stored carbon to help in the fight against climate change, flood prevention and resistance to wildfire. The collaborative working with Severn Trent enables us to continue our work towards our shared vision of a sustainable and resilient landscape.”