The Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced new proposals to ban heather burning on upland peat.
The burning of heather in peatlands is protected under the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021, which were introduced to prevent unnecessary burning on peatlands.
According to Defra, 80% of England’s peatlands are currently degraded. It said that burning increases the growth of heather, which dries out the peatland causing it to emit, rather than store, carbon.
If implemented, these changes will increase the area currently protected from 222,000ha to more than 368,000ha of England’s total 677,250ha of deep peat.
The definition of ‘deep peat’ will also be changed so that deep peat is counted as anything over 30cm, rather than the current 40cm.
The entire area of upland deep peat that is potentially subject to burning will be protected.
Under the proposals, prescribed burning would need to be carried out under strict licence, which will only be issued where there is a clear need.
The government said it recognises that prescribed burning may be a necessary management tool in very limited circumstances, for example, where there is a wildfire risk and where no feasible alternatives exist.
The government has also pledged up to £400 million for tree planting and peatland restoration, as part of its Nature for Climate Fund.
Meanwhile, Defra is also proposing to refine the existing licencing system, so that applicants will have to explain why alternative methods have not or would not work, and show how they intend to move the land away from the need to burn in future.
Nature Minister Mary Creagh said: “Our peatlands are this country’s Amazon Rainforest – home to our most precious wildlife, storing carbon and reducing flooding risk.
“The UK has 13% of the world’s blanket bog. A rare global habitat, it is a precious part of our national heritage, and that is why we‘re announcing a consultation on these measures to ensure deep peat is better protected.
“These changes will benefit communities by improving air and water quality, and protect homes and businesses from flood damage, which supports economic stability and security under our Plan for Change,” Minister Creagh added.
The government has also launched a consultation on the proposed changes and is seeking the views of farmers and landowners who will be impacted.,
The consultation opened today (March 31), and will run for eight weeks until Sunday, May, 25.
