by Dave Blackledge - Sites Manager, RSPB Cumbria Coast Reserves.
The picture shows the first phase of the work done with money from the DEFRA Peat Fund, set up to help rehabilitate peat bogs in England, and lock up carbon in actively growing peat. The fields which had been reclaimed from Bowness Common for agriculture are being re-wetted once more with a series of bunds to prevent drainage of water. Over a number of years, habitats such as willow carr and reed-fen will develop over this area, stopping the peat from further degradation and providing more appropriate bog edge habitats. The photo shows the surface water which has collected in just two weeks since the completion of works. Further areas between Bowness-on-Solway and RSPB Campfield Marsh will be completed in the New Year.
The shot would be taken from Grid Ref: NY 215622 facing SE towards Bowness Common. As Dave is on holiday, to the best of my knowledge this is the information you required. He did show a group of us where the precise fields were located on an OS map last week when he was explaining the work that had been carried out. I did reply yesterday to this effect but it doesn't seem to have registered. Judith