The Friends of Leadburn Community Woodland Group and Tweed Forum have been working together over several years to improve the peatland habitat at Leadburn Community Woodland.
In 2020/21 Tweed Forum worked in partnership with the community group to secure Peatland Action funding and undertake forestry removal and surface smoothing work at the site to restore the natural raised bog habitat.
Following the work, the site has seen a remarkable recovery, with the water table re-established and bog vegetation flourishing.
Species such as Large Heath butterfly, Green Hairstreak, Sundew and lapwing have all been recorded on the newly restored bog.
The Friends of Leadburn Community group and Tweed Forum both have a strong commitment to improving the natural habitat in the Tweed catchment.
This was one of the key drivers of the project. The community group have been carrying out ecological restoration work at Leadburn since 2007, including a mixture of native woodland and wetland restoration projects at the site.
When it came to the bog restoration works, the community group required the support of Tweed Forum to plan and deliver the practical restoration works.
This partnership work has been a great success and has seen a marked improvement to the lowland raised bog habitat at the site.
One of the key challenges faced during the delivery of the work was the COVID pandemic which hit just as the group were planning the initial conifer felling works.
This had the potential to hold up the delivery of the works on site, however, by ensuring the correct H&S and COVID protocols were in place, the work continued with little time lost.
The project has brought a range of benefits to the local community. Restoration of the lowland raised bog habitat will help to retain the existing carbon stores and eventually may allow the bog to return to sequestering carbon through peat soil accumulation.
The blocking of drains and furrows will help to retain water on the site, reducing runoff into the surrounding watercourses and contributing to slowing the flow of water through the Eddleston Water catchment.
The work has enhanced habitat for wildlife. Large heath butterfly and green hairstreak have been recorded at the site since the work was undertaken.
Lapwing were spotted attempting to nest at the site the year following the restoration work and bog vegetation is now flourishing including cotton grass, sphagnum mosses and sundew.
The community group have been working to establish a footpath around the edge of the restored site to enhance the visitor experience.
Tweed Forum helped the group to secure funding from Peatland Action for some new interpretation panels illustrating the bog restoration works and its benefits. The Leadburn Community group work closely with the wider community in the area providing a space for dog walking, relaxation, wildlife watching and education.
The group run regular work parties for locals to get involved in the conservation work at the site, including non-native tree removal, path maintenance and species surveys.
They also engage with students and work experience volunteers to help them to gain experience in the field of conservation.
Tweed Forum also regularly use the site for educational visits for environmental students from nearby universities/colleges.
Both Tweed Forum and the Friends of Leadburn Community group promote the work undertaken at the site on social media to raise awareness .