A new video explaining the impacts of draining peatland on carbon emissions, hydrology and peat structure is now available.

Carbon emissions from 1 hectare (about the size of a football field) of damaged peatland, where the water table has dropped 50cm below the surface, is between 5 - 15 tonnes of CO2 equivalents per year¹ - the same as the total carbon emissions from between 2 - 7 cars every year². With 3 million hectares of peatland³ in the UK we must act now to restore and protect them.

The effect of peatland drainage on surface subsidence and carbon loss continues as long as drainage persists. Peatland restoration works, including drain blocking, is needed to halt this loss and restore healthy functioning peatlands. 

Measuring ground-level movements (subsidence) as well as the behaviour of the water table is vital to understand the condition of a peatland (see Eyes on the Bog Initiative for methods of monitoring).

References

¹ Final report on project SP1210: Lowland peatland systems in England and Wales – evaluating greenhouse gas fluxes and carbon balances 

² The society of motor manufacturers and traders. New Car CO2 Report, 2017

³ Commission of Inquiry State of UK peatlands report (2019)