Lockheed Martin Supports Great North Fen Project
Project demonstrates Lockheed Martin’s commitment to support the communities in which we live and work.
Lockheed Martin staff have supported an ambitious North East initiative, which aims to restore former wetland back to its original state.
Lockheed Martin employees involved in Project BEROE – a UK Government defence scheme to agilely develop software for satellite system management – swopped keyboards for giant mallets, spending a day helping the Great North Fen project being carried out by Durham Wildlife Trust.
The organisation aims to restore the wetlands to 60 hectares of land, which have been lost over the years through intensive farming.
Land drainage over the years has seen the disappearance of this key wetland and the plan is now to restore it through a number of enterprises.
Durham Wildlife Trust’s plans for the Great North Fen will see the recreation and recovery of wetland habitats, including some areas of lowland peat which will help store carbon and encourage flora and fauna.
Lockheed Martin Space believed helping to preserve peatlands – a highly effective solution for storing carbon – was a vital project to get involved with.
Along with giving restoration funding, a team spent the day at Ricknall Carrs near Sedgefield, helping to drive piling into the lowland peat to help slow down the flow of water and hold water nearer the surface, creating a natural habitat for wading birds.
Armed with giant mallets, the group spent the day knee-deep in water and mud, managing to complete a barrier.
Jason Skirrow, Head of Service and Programme Delivery at Lockheed Martin Space UK was one of the group who took part on the day.
“These relic peat bogs in the Great North Fen act as a natural carbon sink.
“We had a great day working in this important area and loved contributing our time and making a monetary investment to this vitally important project.”
“The Great North Fen is an ambitious nature recovery project which is creating interconnected landscapes that will support a diverse range of ecologically important wildlife by sequestering carbon,” she said.
“The support received from Lockheed Martin Space UK is an important step in the next phase of restoration on the fen and it was great to host their team on site and see them get hands on with the practicalities of wetland creation.”