The IUCN UK Peatland Programme advocates the multiple benefits of peatlands through partnerships, strong science, sound policy and effective practice.
Desmids of peatlands © Emma Goodyer
Latest News
Latest News
A staggering 10,000 dams created on moorland
February 4, 2016
Moors for the Future Partnership are marking a significant achievement in their work to bring life back to eroded peat moorlands in the Peak District and South Pennines.
Restoration work started in North Exmoor
February 1, 2016
Work has started on a 31ha area of North Exmoor Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This entails blocking the large drainage ditches that cut into and across the small hillslope, springline and blanket mires.
Positive results for Sphagnum in the North Pennines
January 10, 2016
In 2006 the North Pennines AONB Partnership set up its peatland programme to raise awareness about, and to begin to restore, England’s largest blanket bog. Initially the restoration focus was on blocking the 10,000km of grips that had been cut into the peat body since World War Two. However, starting with one small site in 2010 the AONB’s Peatland Team are now restoring bare peat across numerous sites in the North Pennines. With 2800ha of bare peat in the North Pennies this is just the start but, after developing new techniques for the 2013 restoration season, results are already looking promising. Damaged moorland is being transformed into a moss-covered landscape, which will help stabilise the peat and allow heather and grasses to colonise the previously bare ground.
Scottish Power Renewables test new grip blocking method
January 8, 2016
Scottish Power Renewables has been test running a different method of grip blocking at their Black Law windfarm in Lanarkshire - one of the largest windfarms in the UK. In the past, they have found that building peat dams at the sufficient height, width and spacing to be effective creates too damaging an impact on the adjacent peatland, as well being both slow to work and expensive to build.
World-leading moorland partnership receives €16 million support
January 7, 2016
Largest award ever given by EU LIFE Programme to a UK conservation project
The Moors for the Future Partnership, which works to protect priority international habitats in the Peak District and South Pennines, has received 16 million euros to deliver the MoorLIFE 2020 project. This includes €12 million from the EU’s LIFE fund - which supports environmental, nature conservation and climate action projects throughout Europe - the largest award ever given to a UK-based project.
Knowledge gaps identified by Flow Country Research Conference III
January 5, 2016
Caithness and Sutherland's 'Peatland Week' saw the third Flow Country Research Conference take place in late October 2015, with a focus on research. Two workshops were held as part of the conference: the first an exercise to draw the Flow Country boundaries on a map - no easy feat; whilst the second workshop got participants discussing priorities for research, and this is what they came up with:
Peatland ACTION sees the continued restoration of Sutherland peatlands
January 5, 2016
North Highland Forest District was recently awarded £985,000 from the Peatland ACTION fund to support restoration work at Dalchork Plantations near Lairg in Sutherland, Scotland. The work will include woodland removal, restoration of an area previously felled, as well as mire restoration on degraded, but previously unplanted land.
Announcing Peat-Fest South-West 2025 – a celebration of our peatland connectionsThe Art and Energy Collective has been awarded a grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to…
National Policy Statements public consultationOpportunity to contribute to public consultation on National Policy Statements to support Clean…
Public consultation on heather and grass burning regulations in EnglandThe IUCN UK Peatland Programme has responded to Defra’s proposal to protect a greater extent of…
New Peat Map for EnglandThis week Natural England published the much anticipated England Peat Map which highlights the…
Peatland motion headed to World Conservation Congress for considerationThe IUCN UK Peatland Programme-led motion to develop a unified definition of peatlands has…
A collection of three Natural England reports marks a step change for English peatlandsWe summarise three new reports from Natural England which have important implications for English…
New publication: Tracks and roads on peatlandsThe IUCN UK Peatland Programme are pleased to publish our latest brief focusing on the impacts of…
Funding announced for greenhouse gas reduction solutions on peatlandsThe UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology is seeking proposals for projects up to £75,000 to advance…
Committee on Climate Change (CCC) 7th Carbon Budget Report - a response from IUCN UK Peatland ProgrammeThe IUCN UK Peatland Programme welcomes this week the publication of the Committee on Climate…
New species showcase - Water voleContinuing the spotlight on peatland biodiversity, our first Species Showcase of 2025 is the Water…
Adoption of University of Cumbria PhD student’s carbon calculator brings national and international significanceThis week University of Cumbria and Barker and Bland Ltd.’s innovative carbon calculator has been…
CiVTech innovators leading drive for advances within Peatland and Woodland Carbon CodesBringing efficiences to the Peatland Code and Woodland Carbon Code is the focus for three…