Skip to content

Trees planted in effort to improve water quality

United Utilities Man wearing fluorescent orange clothing uses a hammer to stake a wooden post on the Thirlmere site. The fell is covered in dead brown bracken. United Utilities
Native tree species including wild cherry, downy birch, grey willow and sessile oak were planted

A water company has planted 6,000 trees near a Lake District reservoir in an effort to improve raw water quality.

Native tree species including wild cherry, downy birch, grey willow and sessile oak were planted over two months at Stybeck Farm near Thirlmere reservoir in Cumbria.

United Utilities pledged it would plant one million trees on its estates by 2030

The firm worked with West Cumbria Rivers Trust, who said the woodland would "help cool rivers for fish, protect water quality and strengthens resilience to floods and droughts".

United Utilities West Cumbria Rivers Trust's project manager, Caitlin Pearson, wears dark clothing and stands talking to Andrew Wright, who is wearing a fluorescent United Utilities jacket. They are standing where the trees have been planted.United Utilities
West Cumbria Rivers Trust said the trees in Thirlmere would improve the quality of water that goes into the reservoir

West Cumbria Rivers Trust said the trees in Thirlmere would capture carbon and improve raw water quality around the reservoir.

The trees were planted on five and a half hectares of land which was covered in bracken.

The trust's project manager Caitlin Pearson said: "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."

27 January 2025: This article has been amended

Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].

More stories from the BBC
Related internet links