Peat is the waterlogged remains of plants that have built up over thousands of years. Peat bogs and wetlands are treasure-troves of nature. They are also vital landscape features that hold water in the landscape and, crucially lock up carbon.
Pretty precious then?
So not wise to drain them, opencast mine them for horticulture, plough them up and otherwise degrade then?
For one type of peat bog known as lowland raised mire, we’ve lost over 94% of them – for other extensive areas of peaty soils (such as much of the Fens for example) the changing land use over centuries has restricted the once vast wetlands to tiny fragments. But now many of these former wetland wonders are now rich farmland – to find a future for wetland restoration will require careful integration of agriculture and conservation. Not easy, but the prize is surely worth it – and when opportunities come along we should seize the day.
The Isle of Axholme is just such a chance, an area between Goole and Bawtry is currently having a flood risk strategy drawn up for it – a plan that could shape the future of the area for the next hundred years.
What an opportunity!
We’re really worried that the chance will be missed – that the Agency’s strategy will fail to grasp a rare opportunity to shape a future that works for farming (by storing precious water) helps to reduce the drying out of peat (and thus cutting down the release of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere) and provide a secure future for wetland wildlife.
We are calling on the agency to re-think their plan – consultation finishes next week. You van find out more here and what other’s are saying here.
Follow me on twitter.