The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced today (Monday, June 29) that England's peatlands "will be better protected and managed" due to three new schemes worth £47 million in funding.

Defra stated that this allocation "will help to reduce carbon emissions, better protect rural communities from the risks of wildfire and flooding, and support local economies".

According to the department, English peatlands store more than half of the country's terrestrial carbon, making them a "powerful nature-based solution against climate change."

However, Defra reported that 80% of peat soils in England are currently in a dry and degraded state "following centuries of drainage to make way for agriculture".

The government outlined that it intends to address the current state of English peatlands by funding efforts to restore and re-wet peat, with the aim of encouraging carbon sequestration, supporting wildlife and increasing resilience against weather shocks - such as drought and floods.

Schemes

Defra noted that the £47 million investment will be going towards the following three schemes:

The Lowland Peat Water Implementation Grant (£36 million, delivered by the Environment Agency) - this scheme will fund local water projects to install infrastructure that raises and manages water tables in lowland peat soils;
The Paludiculture and Wetter Farming Fund (£10 million, delivered by Natural England) - this scheme will fund research into growing and harvesting crops on wetter peat soils and "developing viable markets for them";
The Peatland Restoration Sector Capacity Grant (£1.15 million, delivered by Defra) - this scheme will fund training, apprenticeships, equipment and community engagement to grow the workforce and skills needed to deliver peatland restoration at greater scale into the future.

The department stated that these grants seek to safeguard productive farming in lowland areas, with a focus on protecting peat through improved water management and more sustainable land use.

Natural England

The deputy director of peatland restoration at Natural England, Sarah Dawkins commented on the group's role within the three schemes.

Dawkins said: "Natural England is delivering the Paludiculture and Wetter Farming Fund on behalf of Defra, supporting partnerships between businesses, land managers and communities to reduce drainage of lowland peatlands, whilst producing viable crops suited to wetter conditions. 

"These projects will deliver multiple benefits, including healthier ecosystems, improved water and soil management, greater climate resilience, and reduced carbon emissions," she added.

Defra

Defra's Nature Minister, Mary Creagh believes England's peatlands and Brazil's Amazon rainforest share a similar importance to their respective countries.

She stated: "Peatlands are as vital to the UK as the Amazon rainforest is to Brazil but too many of them are degraded and releasing carbon rather than locking it in.

Application deadlines for these schemes vary, with the Lowland Peat Water Infrastructure Grant currently open until September 18 this year.

Those who wish to submit applications for the Paludiculture and Wetter Farming Fund can do so until August 23, while the Peatland Restoration Sector Capacity Grant is set to run until July 23 before shutting for applications.