United Utilities plants 6,000 trees at Thirlmere to transform parcel of land

United Utilities has completed a project to plant 6,000 trees at Stybeck Farm near Thirlmere reservoir, transforming an area of bracken covered fell no longer suitable for grazing.

The North West’s water company has planted the trees over the last two months as part of its efforts to increase biodiversity and improve raw water quality in the reservoir.

The 6,000 trees cover five and a half hectares of land, carefully selected as native species to the area.  These include  trees have been chosen as they are native species to the area and include wild cherry, downy birch, grey willow and sessile oak, to create a healthy, natural, woodland that will thrive into the future.  

United Utilities has committed to planting a million trees by 2030 as part of its plans to improve its land holdings across the North West. 

The project has been funded through a grant from the Forestry Commission, which was secured through partnership working with the West Cumbria Rivers Trust. 

Andrew Wright, Woodland officer for United Utilities in Cumbria, said: “We’re really pleased to have been able to have plant so many new trees at Stybeck Farm thanks to the help from West Cumbria Rivers Trust.  As the new trees as they grow will benefit the local environment by helping to improve biodiversity, capturing carbon and improving the raw water quality that goes into the reservoir.”

Caitlin Pearson, Project Manager at West Cumbria Rivers Trust said: "It’s been fantastic to work with United Utilities to design a thriving native woodland that supports wildlife, helps cools rivers for fish, protects water quality, and strengthens resilience to floods and droughts. Projects like this are essential in addressing the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, and we’re eager to see more opportunities to deliver this kind of meaningful work across the catchment. A huge thank you to Eden Woodlands for their hard work and expertise in making this vision a reality."

West Cumbria Rivers Trust is a local environmental charity looking after waterways and the surrounding countryside for the benefit of people and wildlife. West Cumbria Rivers Trust received funding through DEFRAs Woodlands for Water project to help landowners access the Forestry Commission’s England Woodland Creation Offer. This grant covers the costs of establishing and maintaining new woodlands and pays landowners for the social and environmental benefits the woodland provides.