A PEATLAND restoration scheme near Whitchurch has won two prestigious civil engineering awards.

The Marches Mosses BogLIFE Project won both the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) West Midlands award and the Sustainability Category award with judges stating the project was an 'example of sustainability and planning'.

The project was carried out by WM Longreach who worked alongside Natural England, Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Brian Killingworth, WSP and RAB Consultants.

ICE East and West Midlands regional director, Jo Barnett praised the work carried out at the Mosses.

She added: "A truly worthy winner of both our sustainability award and overall project award this year.

"Many congratulations to WM Longreach, Natural England, Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Brian Killingworth, WSP and RAB Consultants.

"Our annual awards play an important role in not only demonstrating the importance of our civil engineers, whose hard work and dedication can often go unnoticed, but also in celebrating the positive impact that civil engineering has on everyday lives."

The project was designed to restore Britain's third largest lowland raised bog within the Fenns, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses and Wem Moss NNRs near Whitchurch.

Simon Turton, a spokesman for the project, said the scheme is crucial to capturing CO2.

He added: "With more than 96 per cent of the UK’s peatbogs destroyed, the BogLIFE Project is vital for the restoration of 665 hectares of the Mosses to improve their habitat and valuable eco-systems.

"The drainage diversion and innovative water control techniques will help prevent flooding downstream by allowing the natural rainwater balance to keep the peat wet and reducing run-off.

"This scheme is also crucial for capturing CO2, a large contributor to global warming."

Mr Turton also said the project will attract visitors and education opportunities.

He added: "After hundreds of years of exploitation, no one in the UK has ever tried to restore bog edge habitat on this scale.

"As well as being environmentally sustainable, the project will also help the local economy by attracting visitors to the area, encouraging volunteer involvement and providing education opportunities."