For peat's sake: nationally important carbon store under threat
18 March 2010
Natural England report highlights decline of a critical carbon store. Three quarters of England’s deep peatlands are damaged or degraded with annual carbon losses equivalent to carbon emissions from nearly half a million homes
Peatlands in the North East, which should be playing a vital role in reducing carbon emissions, are under serious threat according to a new report launched today.
Natural England has today launched a comprehensive review of the condition of England’s peatlands, highlighting the importance of the region’s peatlands in areas such as the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and The Cheviots.
England’s Peatlands – Carbon Storage and Greenhouse Gases, provides detailed mapping information on the extent and condition of England’s peatlands. Alarmingly, the report has found that almost three quarters of the deep peat area in England is now damaged, showing physical signs of degradation or subject to inappropriate management such as drainage, uncontrolled burning or cultivation. In essence, the mechanism that would allow England’s peatlands to actively store up new reserves of carbon has been turned off.
The high level of damage means that the reservoir of 580 million tonnes of carbon stored within England’s peatlands is now slowly leaking back into the atmosphere. The report estimates that, as a result, our damaged peatlands are converting 820,000 tonnes of that stored carbon into almost 3 million tonnes of CO2 each year - equivalent to the average emissions of a third of a million households.
Rob Aubrook, North East Regional Director for Natural England said: “This report is a wake-up call – The North East’s peatlands are a crucial buffer against climate change but have been extensively damaged by centuries of inappropriate management. We have to stop the rot and ensure that our internationally important peatlands are properly looked after as one of our most precious environmental resources.”
In the North East a range of restoration projects are already underway to secure a more sustainable future for our threatened bogs. Through Natural England’s Higher Level Stewardship scheme nearly 20,000 hectares of blanket bog are now under positive management.
Natural England also supports the work of peat restoration projects like the North Pennines AONB Partnership’s Peatscapes project, which is working to conserve and enhance internationally important peatland. The North Pennines contains almost 30 per cent of England’s blanket bog and 9% of England’s peatlands, into which around 9000 kilometres of drainage ditches, known as grips, have been cut over the past 50 years.
Through the Peatscapes project those grips are being systematically filled with dams, allowing water to build up and rehydrate the peatlands, encouraging their recovery. This vital work will reduce carbon dioxide emissions from drying peat as well as restoring priority habitat and reducing flood risk for those living downstream.
The AONB Partnership’s Peatscapes Project Manager Paul Leadbitter said: “The North Pennines AONB has over 90,000 hectares of peat and we are working with our partners to restore the North Pennines peatlands so that they have a sustainable future.
“Peatland restoration is a cost effective, natural solution to reduce national carbon emissions. With over 10% of global CO2 emissions coming from degraded peatlands around the world, England is taking its responsibility seriously and is beginning to lead the way with a coordinated effort to restore all peatlands across the country.”
The report by Natural England makes it clear that the widespread restoration of our degraded peatlands by re-wetting dried out bogs and minimising damaging practices could substantially reduce these carbon losses and cost-effectively deliver an important contribution to meeting the UK’s carbon targets.
Rob Aubrook concluded: “We can no longer approach peatlands as limitless resources that we can exploit without consequence. Their condition has major implications for our response to climate change, the alleviation of flooding, the quality of our water supplies and the future of many rare and important species. Our report has shown the value of peatland restoration in the battle against climate change and we should do all we can to give peatlands a more sustainable future.”
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