Culture and human history
Peatlands across the world show evidence of being shaped and modified by past human activities, from the influence of prehistoric humans to recent drainage and extraction activities.
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Wellbeing and rural economies
Peatlands are deeply embedded in human culture and the incredible preservation properties of peat provide a unique archaeological archive which details our relationship with peatlands over millennia. Despite negative connotations in popular culture and some of the language associated with peatlands, they have also provided food, fuel and homes for many people, and still do.
Palaeoecology
Palaeoecology is the study of past ecosystems and their changes through time. Past environments, population dynamics and communities of organisms can be reconstructed based on fossil evidence preserved in the landscape.
Announcing Peat-Fest South-West 2025 – a celebration of our peatland connections
The Art and Energy Collective has been awarded a grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to work in partnership with peatland restoration and cultural organisations across the South-West…
New species showcase - cottongrass
Our May species showcase looks at the role that cottongrass plays in peatlands, its cultural and historical importance and how people are working to reintroduce it to areas where it has become…
Black poplar
The black poplar is a large tree of floodplains, flooded gravel pits and ditches, particularly in England. Despite being an important part of our culture for centuries, it has declined massively…
The vulnerability of archaeological remains in peatlands
The abundance of organic archaeological artefacts and paleoenvironmental evidence found in waterlogged environments exists largely because the lack of oxygen (caused by waterlogging) severely…
Upland acid grassland and rush pasture
These grasslands, occupying much of the UK's heavily-grazed upland landscape, are of greater cultural than wildlife interest, but remain a habitat to some scarce and declining species.
Celebrating International Bog Day with more ‘Eyes on the Bog’ than ever
Peatlands are among the UK’s most valuable natural habitats—storing carbon, filtering drinking water, supporting rare wildlife, and offering a window into the past through their rich biological…
Conference 2025: Water Connections: from Source to Sea
Our 2025 Conference will be taking place on 30th September – 2nd October 2025 in Derry~Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The conference will explore the deep cultural associations and sense of identity connected to peatlands in Northern Ireland, and policy drivers reflecting changing attitudes to peatland management. It will also examine the importance of water in these landscapes and the role of peatlands at catchment scale as a nature-based solution.
My show and tell
In his few years of angling and rock pooling, Archie's made good friends with fish, crabs, limpets and anemones. And he's finding new mates all the time.
Grassland
Flower-rich grasslands, once a part of every farm, are part of our culture. Most have developed alongside humans because of livestock grazing and cutting for hay. Many have archaeological and…