Global Distribution of Peatlands

Approximately 4 million km2

175 countries from tropics to poles

3% of the world’s land area

UK Distribution of Peatlands

Peatlands occur in a number of different forms in the UK: fens, wet woodland and bogs

92% of the peatland in the UK occurs as blanket and raised bogs

The UK has about 13% of the world’s blanket bog

Carbon storage & sink

Peatlands cover just 3% of the world’s land surface but store more than 30% of the total global soil carbon

A loss of just 1.6% of the global peat store equates to the total annual global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions

In the UK peatlands store 3 200 million tonnes of carbon, 20 times than that of UK forests

A loss of just 5% of the UK peat store equates to the total annual UK anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions

Semi-natural, intact bogs may remove 30-70 tonnes of carbon per km2 per year

Biodiversity

Largest area of semi-natural habitat in the UK containing 16 NVC plant communities

Supports a unique, rare and threatened range of specialised species adapted to waterlogged, nutrient-poor conditions such as sundews and Sphagnum

Internationally important bird assemblages such as golden plover, dunlin, merlin & hen harrier (designated as SPA)

One of the most ancient and unique habitats in Europe dating back thousands of years (designated as SAC)

History

Preserved pollen and partially decomposed plant remains enables reconstruction of vegetation and land management history.

Record of past atmospheric pollution levels

Record of past events – eg volcanic eruptions

Archaeological artefacts

Economy

As major tourist attractions peatland bring the tourist pound into remote areas supporting accommodation providers and local communites

Management of peatlands for grouse (or deer stalking in Scotland) provides employment opportunities for keepers and other sporting managers

Peatlands are an integral part of the extensive sheep farming systems of the UK uplands

In some areas of the UK peat is still exploited as a fuel source

Current state of peatlandsLess than 20% of blanket bog in UK is in a natural or near-natural condition

Majority of UK peatlands are no longer peat forming

16% severely eroded, 10% afforested, 11% affected by past peat-cutting, 40% modified or destroyed by conversion to agriculture

Now emitting 3.7million tonnes of CO2 equivalents per year > average annual emissions of Leeds, Edinburgh and Cardiff.

Only 58% of internationally designated blanket bog is in favourable condition. Of the rest only 15% is recovering

Over last 30 years amount of dissolved organic carbon (brown colour) in water draining peatlands has doubled which has to be taken out by water companies

Key damaging driversLarge areas drained with ditches (grips) through agricultural subsidies. No longer funded but still flowing and eroding

10% of UK peatlands afforested. Generally requires drainage, cultivation and fertilisation which causes peat to crack, shrink and oxidise

Heavy grazing changes the vegetation converting from specialists to grass dominated peatlands which begin to erode and stop peat forming.

Fire. Wildfire and poorly-managed burns on grouse moors damages Sphagnum and leads to conversion to heather and grasses. Dessicated peatlands are drier and more prone to fire – a vicious circle

Partnership funded by:

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

Yorkshire Dales NPA

North York Moors NPA

Environment Agency

Natural England

Yorkshire Water

National Trust

Other Partners:

Yorkshire Dales rivers Trust

Nidderdale AONB

Pennine Prospects

Moorland Association

National Gamekeepers Association

National Farmers Union

Objectives•Restore 35,000 (50%) of peatland by restoring 3401km (45%) of grip/gully and re-vegetating 169ha (50%) of bare peat by March 2017

• Establish long-term sites for research into the benefits of peatland restoration to ecosystem services by March 2013

•To use and promote best practice in all applied restoration techniques

•To raise awareness and promote the multitude of benefits that peatland restoration can provide

Part A – Aerial Photographs

Part B – Rapid Walkover

Category 1b - Blocked grip

Category 3 - Eroding and deeply scoured; >1000mm-1500mm wide; >1000mm-1200mm deep

Category 1f - Flowing grip up to 600mm wide; 650mm deep

Category 4+

Eroding Hags Peat Pans

Micro Erosion Oxidised Peat

Grip blocking

Gully blocking

Majority of larger grips and some gullies can be blocked using timber sediment traps

Gully/hag reprofiling

All gullies but especially larger ones that can’t be blocked are re-profiled and then re-vegetated to remove source of continued erosion

Re-vegetating bare peat

Bare peat needs treating in several ways to get a vegetation cover to establish

pH levels often too low for vegetation (even Sphagnum)

Wind, water and frost heave in exposed areas mean surface is continually mobile so vegetation cannot get a hold

Vulnerable to dessiccation in dry periods

Cut heather brash

Transport brash to site

Spread brash to stabilise surface

Create stable root mat

Spread lime & fertiliser to support growth for 3 yrs

3 yrs on all being well

Establish Sphagnum & other peat formers

Results so farAchievement by December 2011 Quantity

Area of land surveyed 16,542ha (48%)

Area under restoration 3283ha (10%)

Length of grips blocked 334km (13%)

Length of eroding gullies re-vegetated 40km (5%)

Area of bare peat re-vegetated 17ha (10%)

Number of peat dams installed in grips 33,000

Number of timber sediment traps installed in larger grips and gullies

300

Number of peat depth records 20,000

Number of volunteers involved 40

Carbon & climate change

Biodiversity & History

Restore the peat we regain the biodiversity and prevent the loss of the historic record

Water quality

Blocking reduces fine particulate organic matter, suspended solids and bed sediment leading to change back to Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera from Diptera.

Restoration works!