Protecting our Peatlands
Why are Peatlands important?
Peatlands are the UK’s largest carbon store and, in the Peak District alone, 20 million tonnes of carbon is stored in the peat.
Healthy peatlands are able to store more carbon than they release, making them vital carbon sinks. However peatbogs that are in poor condition actually release carbon into the atmosphere.
80% of Peak District peatland is damaged, thanks to the massive legacy of atmospheric pollution from neighbouring cities, alongside overgrazing, drainage and fires. In some areas, heavy metal content is similar to that in collieries and scrap metal sites, and, in some areas, the land now has the acidity of lemon juice (ph3). Without intervention, this peat will not regenerate naturally – it is far too damaged.
In a healthy state, peatlands are wild dramatic landscapes, home to rare and beautiful wildlife, including wading birds like dunlin and curlew, raptors such as peregrine and merlin, and other species including the adder and mountain hare.
The effects of restored peatland go beyond climate change. Healthy blanket bogs help to alleviate flooding, as the unique plants growing in them slow the flow of rain from the moors to the towns and cities below. They can also improve the quality of the water that runs into the rivers and reservoirs that provide our homes with water.
What we will do
It is vital that we act now to restore our Peak District blanket bogs and peatland back to health, so that they can keep carbon locked up in the ground. Once restored to a healthy, functioning habitat, they will also start to absorb carbon, becoming a vital carbon sink in the fight against climate change.
We can return this landscape to good condition. To achieve this, we are working with the Moors for the Future Partnership to raise funds to halt the deterioration of our remaining blanket bogs, restore our Peak District peatlands. Significant work has been carried out over the last three decades to stabilise our peatlands and reduce their carbon emissions, but we estimate it will take a further 20 years of restoration work to bring them into good conditions.