As NI Environment Week draws to a close, NI Water is underscoring the role of its Sustainable Catchment Area Management Programme (SCaMP NI) in supporting species recovery. The programme uses nature-based measures across drinking water catchments to improve raw water quality before treatment, while restoring priority habitats, reducing erosion, strengthening landscape resilience and contributing to climate action.

Many of the landscapes that supply drinking water in Northern Ireland also host important habitats and species. Through SCaMP, NI Water works with partners, landowners, farmers and environmental organisations to enhance land management across these areas, helping nature to recover while protecting the quality and reliability of water supplies.

Practical actions include peatland restoration, drain blocking, re-wetting degraded bogs, encouraging the recolonisation of sphagnum moss and improving upland habitats. These interventions slow water flow, cut the amount of colour and sediment entering reservoirs, store carbon and create better conditions for priority species such as birds, plants and other wildlife. An NI Water spokesperson said: "This year's NI Environment Week theme of Species Recovery is a timely reminder that healthy catchments are about much more than water alone. By restoring peatlands, improving habitats and working with those who manage land in our drinking water catchments, we can help nature recover while also protecting the raw water that eventually becomes the clean, safe drinking water customers rely on every day.

"The spokesperson continued: "Nature-based solutions can deliver multiple benefits at once. They help improve water quality at source, reduce pressure on treatment processes, create better conditions for wildlife and make our landscapes more resilient to climate change. SCaMP is a practical example of how working with nature can deliver long-term benefits for people, biodiversity and the wider environment."

NI Water's catchment management team also supports engagement and education through site visits, collaboration with farming groups and partnerships aimed at reducing pollution risks from nutrients, soil and pesticides. This joint working helps protect rivers, reservoirs and habitats vital to communities and wildlife alike.

An NI Water spokesperson added: "Species recovery depends on sustained action across entire landscapes. No single organisation can deliver this alone, which is why partnership working is central to SCaMP. By listening to land managers, working with environmental partners and investing in catchment-based solutions, we can help create healthier habitats and better outcomes for future generations."

NI Environment Week 2026 ran from 28 September to 4 October with a focus on Species Recovery. SCaMP NI stands for Sustainable Catchment Area Management Programme Northern Ireland and uses catchment-based, nature-based solutions to safeguard and enhance raw water quality before it reaches treatment works.