Scientists have mapped England's peatlands to a level of
extraordinary detail never achieved before - revealing their
worrying, degraded state and need for recovery.
The England Peat Map launched today (Saturday 10th
May) is the most complete map of England's peatlands and
peaty soils to date and one's of the world's most comprehensive
peat maps in existence. Our peatlands are a critical natural
resource providing essential public goods such as carbon
sequestration , water purification and storage – helping protect
communities from flooding.
The map models the extent, depth, and important aspects of the
condition of our peat, including vegetation, and even shows
gullies and man-made and natural drainage channels and has been
produced using cutting edge techniques.
Researchers used AI, satellite data from the European Space
Agency, individual data sets from field surveys and modelled to
identify the likelihood of peaty soils, and marks a step change
in our ability to make decisions about land use and target
conservation activities where they're most needed.
The map, published alongside key research,
shows:
- Peaty soil covers roughly 8.5% of England's surface
- Around 80% of England's peatlands are in dry and degraded
states, making this an area in need of urgent action
- Around three quarters of our peat is covered by plants and
land use types associated with dryer conditions such as heather,
while only 1% is covered by important peat forming plants such as
sphagnum moss
- The most extensive peatland habitat is to be found across the
Pennines, North York Moors, parts of the Lake District, and in
the uplands of the South West.
The findings present a worrying picture of widely degraded peat
from the blanket bog most associated with our northern uplands to
the lowland deep peat found most commonly in the fens of the East
England.
Degraded peat also emits carbon, meaning that our peatlands are
releasing carbon into the atmosphere and helping drive global
heating. Understanding how much peat we have is the first step to
calculating how much carbon it holds and how much it's releasing
– vital information as we work together to combat climate change.
The open source map available today on gov.uk will empower land
managers and key decision makers to better understand and restore
the nation's peatland– for example, blocking drainage channels to
re-wet the land and support better informed decisions on how to
effectively balance biodiversity and carbon storage with food
security in some of England's most fertile farmland.
Restoring peatland will bring benefits for nature, communities,
and the wider economy. Estimates suggest restoring 55% of
peatland to near-natural condition will have a value of around
£50 billion in reduced carbon emissions, while their value as a
source of drinking water and recreation space is worth many
hundreds of millions of pounds.
Natural England's Chief Scientist Dr Sallie Bailey
said:
Trying to map something that's largely underground, changes in
volume depending whether it's rained recently, and tries to
swallow you up every time you set foot in it comes with its
challenges, which makes this map extraordinary in its
accomplishment and something of a global first.
Mapping peat to this level of detail will help us maximise the
benefits of peat and massively advances our understanding the
role our peatlands are playing in a changing climate.
Natural England Chair Tony Juniper said:
The benefits of healthy peatlands are well documented - they are
our biggest natural carbon stores, essential to the water cycle,
and refuge to some of our rarest plants and wildlife, such as the
carnivorous sundew plant, marsh violet, and charismatic birds
like golden plover and curlew.
The England Peat Map will allow us to make far better and more
informed decisions when it comes to managing peatlands -
targeting restoration efforts to the most degraded peat and
identifying the best opportunities for nature recovery.
Nature Minister said:
Our peatlands are this country's Amazon Rainforest and in
desperate need of restoration and protection, as this mapping and
research work starkly demonstrates.
That is why we have announced up to £400m for nature restoration,
including of our peatlands, and are consulting on new plans to
extend the ban on burning deep peat. This government, as part of
our Plan for Change, are committed to expanding nature-rich
habitats and turning the tide on nature's decline after years of
neglect.
Notes to editors
- The full peat map can be found here: England
Peat Map
- The accompanying report can be found here: England
Peat Map - NERR149
- The report and map have been funded through Defra's Natural
Capital and Ecosystem Assessment programme (NCEA) and Nature for
Climate Fund.
