Tree planting aids restoration of ancient bog

For a while all volunteers working on the restoration of a 10,000-year-old bog in Bradford did was cut back overgrown vegetation.

But earlier they picked up their spades for a tree-planting ceremony to mark the completion of the main phase of work at Bingley North Bog, close to the town's Five Rise Locks.

For months, volunteers from the Aire Rivers Trust charity and the local Dawoodi Bohras community have been transforming the Bradford Council-owned site.

The scheme is part of Project Rise, a philanthropic initiative by the latter, which includes the planting of 1,000 native trees to create a new hedgerow and improve biodiversity.

Raaj Cochin, from the Dawoodi Bohras, said: "We've still got a fair amount of trees to plant. We've put in around 250 so far.

"We invited the local community and council representatives, and anybody who wanted, to get involved to get their hands dirty and feel part of the project as well."

The Dawoodi Bohras are a distinct community within the Shia branch of Islam, with approximately a million followers worldwide.

Bingley North Bog is a remnant of an ancient glacier; a peat bog and wetland that serves as a crucial habitat for a diverse range of wildlife.

Located between the A650 and Five Rise Locks, it is a sanctuary for birds such as curlews, kingfishers, and herons as well as insects like dragonflies and bats.

It is also a vital carbon store helping to combat climate change, according to the trust.

The restoration, overseen by council officers, included removal of invasive species, path laying and the erection of fencing leading down to a bird observation deck.

Mill Gill Beck has also been re-meandered to direct more flood water into the bog area.

Najmuddin Master is the Project Rise coordinator.

He said: "From building the pathways to installing the fence posts and the bird-viewing area, it's been a long process but I think it's been meaningful.

"We hope it's here for another 10,000 years.

"If it needs maintenance we are always here to come back and give it a helping hand to keep it as it is."

The site is one of eight included in the recently launched Bradford Pennine Gateway National Nature Reserve, with the bog project also aiming to plant 1,000 new trees.

It aims to help protect the habitat, mitigate flood risk, increase biodiversity and improve public access to the reserve.

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