The government has announced funding awards to improve lowland peat soils, including over £1.3 million to projects across the North. Peatlands are the country’s largest terrestrial carbon store, however, as a result of centuries of drainage for agriculture, just 1% of England’s lowland peatlands remain in a near-natural state, and these drained peatlands account for […]
Mark Avery – An active campaigner for the protection of peat has written an extensive blog on the Defra announcement. The announcement is good news – it regulates the environmental harm caused by burning of vegetation on peat soils, mostly upland peat soils. What is the harm? The harm is manifold: blanket bog is a […]
From Yorkshire Water and the Yorkshire Peat Partnership. Yorkshire Water will achieve significant gains on its journey to carbon net zero, by investing further in peatland restoration. Funded by Yorkshire Water, Yorkshire Peat Partnership (YPP) will continue its peatland restoration work at Humberstone Bank Farm, which is owned by Yorkshire Water and leased under its […]
The government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund has opened for applications. The fund of up to £40 million will create jobs in nature recovery and conservation, according to Defra. Grants from £50k to £5 million are now available to help the nation build back greener from the coronavirus pandemic, the government announced today [14 September]. The […]
New reports will enable UK to make the most of its natural assets Four new reports on Natural Capital published today will enable governments and businesses to take an evidence-based approach to valuing the UK’s natural assets. Natural Capital refers to the assets within our natural environment that provide benefits for humans. Plants, animals, freshwater, […]
Protests on hen harrier persecution move to wider questions of upland management – Enlightened upstream management contrasts with the degradation caused by burning heather for grouse shooting Bob Earll ‘We are in the media silly season when Parliament is in recess and all sorts of news stories hit the headlines. So it is no surprise that […]
NRW’s lowland wetland restoration work in North Wales wins Best Nature project in the EU-wide LIFE Nature programme awards. The wetland restoration project spans 750ha of fenland habitat, which has been restored over a five-year period. Natural Resources Wales has restored a range of wetlands including Cors Erddreiniog, Cors Bodeilio, Cors Goch on Anglesey, Cors […]
Work is underway to restore peatlands to their natural state across Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire after £160,000 of funding was secured through the Department Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The Environment Agency will be working with a number of partners including Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Warrington Borough Council and United Utilities at six sites. The […]