THE ongoing work at Whixall's Meres and Mosses is part of a raft of new projects to store carbon and restore habitats unveiled by the Wildlife Trusts to tackle the climate and nature crises.

The 12 schemes include a collaboration by Cheshire, Staffordshire and Shropshire Wildlife Trusts to reverse the significant loss of wetlands and lowland peatlands across the Meres and Mosses, carrying out surveys at three sites leading to the expected reintroduction of wetland-engineering beavers on peat soils in 2022.

The schemes by the coalition of 46 nature charities employ “nature based solutions”, using landscapes and habitats to tackle climate emissions and impacts at the same time as helping to reverse declines in the natural world.

They also include planting new seagrass habitat in the Solent, connecting up fragmented woodland throughout Derbyshire, helping protect temperature-sensitive chalk grassland butterflies, and supporting a pioneering project to restore a kelp forest off the coast of Suffolk.

The Wildlife Trusts said the projects will helP the UK to cut its emissions to “net zero”, cutting emissions to as near to zero as possible and offsetting any remaining pollution with measures to absorb carbon.

The schemes are able to move forward thanks to nearly £2 million raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, the trusts said.

Craig Bennett, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts, said: “Nature can be our biggest ally in limiting global temperature rises, but we have to give it a huge helping hand.

“We need to cut emissions at source to fight climate change and we can also have a big impact by restoring nature because wilder places lock-up carbon.

“That means repairing the amazing habitats in our seas, rewetting peatlands, dramatically changing how we manage farmland, rewilding landscapes, and bringing back habitats that have been lost.”

Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “We’re delighted funding raised by our players is helping The Wildlife Trusts restore habitats across the country that play a key role in accumulating and storing carbon.

“By helping nature thrive, these ambitious projects offer solutions to the challenges we face from climate change so these landscapes and the wildlife there can be enjoyed by future generations.”