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A recent wildfire that broke out on Marsden Moor destroyed nearly 14,000 new trees, a councillor has said.<\/p>\n
Fire crews were called to a large wildfire near March Haigh Reservoir, near Huddersfield, at about 17:00 BST on 10 April.<\/p>\n
The National Trust, which owns the land, and Colne Valley Tree Society, began clearing melted tree guards from the area on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Kirklees councillor Matthew McLoughlin, who is part of the tree planting group, said more than half of the 25,000 new trees planted on the moor had been damaged.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
McLoughlin said: “The vast majority have been completely destroyed and the plastic has melted into where the roots were.<\/p>\n
“It obviously means a lot fewer trees growing up and helping the air get cleaner and take carbon down.”<\/p>\n
Because the fire did not penetrate the ground itself, some trees could still grow back from the roots – but it was not likely that many would regrow, he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The trees were planted as part of the Landscapes for Water preservation project, between the National Trust and Yorkshire Water, and funded by White Rose Forest.<\/p>\n
The aim of the project was to stop water running off the moors and to help prevent the erosion of the peatland.<\/p>\n
Peat is a natural resource formed over long periods, mainly in wetland, which stores carbon.<\/p>\n
A Landscapes for Water spokesperson said: “Our community is at the heart of our work, and it is disheartening to see their hard work affected by the recent moorland fire.<\/p>\n
“However, we remain committed to working with them to continue enhancing the landscape across the South Pennines, making it more resilient in the face of these challenges.”<\/p>\n
McLoughlin said the next steps were to remove plastic from the area and to replant the trees if funding can be secured.<\/p>\n
The cause of the moorland fire is not yet known, according to investigators.<\/p>\n
McLoughlin believes the fire was started deliberately and urged the public to report any suspicious behaviour.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n