Peatland restoration: Dr. Tim Thom, Yorkshire wildlife trust.

2. Global Distribution of Peatlands
Approximately 4 million km2
175 countries from tropics to poles
3% of the world’s land area

3. 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

4. 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
Semi-natural, intact bogs may remove 30-70 tonnes of carbon per
km2 per year
A loss of just 5% of the UK peat store equates to the total annual UK
anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions

5. Biodiversity
Largest area of semi-natural habitat in the UK containing 16 NVC
plant communities
One of the most ancient and unique habitats in Europe dating back
thousands of years (designated as SAC)
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)

6. 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

7. 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

8. Current state of peatlands
Less 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

9. Key damaging drivers
Large 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

10. 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

12. 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

13. Part A – Aerial Photographs

14. Part B – Rapid Walkover

15. Category 1b - Category 3 -
Eroding and deeply
Blocked grip
scoured; >1000mm-
1500mm wide;
>1000mm-1200mm
deep
Category 1f -
Flowing grip up to Category 4+
600mm wide;
650mm deep

17. Eroding Hags Peat Pans
Micro Erosion Oxidised Peat

19. Grip blocking

20. Gully blocking
Majority of larger grips and some gullies can be blocked using timber
sediment traps

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. Results so far
Achievement 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 300
gullies
Number of peat depth records 20,000
Number of volunteers involved 40

25. Carbon & climate change

26. Biodiversity & History
Restore the peat we regain the biodiversity and prevent the loss of the
historic record

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

28. Restoration works!