For the love of peat!

Reporter: KEN BENNETT
Date published: 07 April 2015


A MULTI-MILLION-POUND initiative will lead to ancient peatlands above Saddleworth growing again.

Farmers and grouse moor owners are teaming up with conservationists to restore vast expanses of Peak District and South Pennines peatlands.

The area is home to extensive tracts of semi-natural moorland with upland heath and peat bog, birds of prey and wading birds.

The peat bogs have been in decline since the industrial revolution, but now with individual moorland business owners, 30 large Environmental Stewardship (ES) agreements are under way to bring about £15million of moorland restoration over the next five years.

The ES scheme, administered by Natural England on behalf of Defra, will allow for changes to management on 39,000 hectares of moorland.


email: kd_bennett@yahoo.co.uk