Peatland

In these areas, year-round waterlogged conditions slow the process of plant decomposition to such an extent that dead plants accumulate to form peat. Over millennia this material builds up and becomes several metres thick.

The process of peat formation means that the peatland wildlife, mainly Sphagnum mosses, are directly responsible for creating the habitat. Peatlands are characterised by:

• high water level and moisture content
• considerable fluctuations of surface temperature
• low oxygen content
• accumulation of toxic substances and absorbed gases
• limited availability of nutrients
• higher acidity than surrounding ecosystems (in most cases).

These conditions create severe restrictions for living organisms, resulting in intense competition for space and nutrients between individuals even if they have different life forms. All of these conditions change if the peat is drained.

Peatlands also influence their surrounding (e.g. water level, microclimate, particle and water balance, gas exchange, etc.) that affect habitat conditions, and thus biodiversity, for non-peatland ecosystems in the surrounding landscape and downstream.

The importance of peatlands comes from the remarkable services they provide to society, which includes wildlife habitat, global carbon store (they contain twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests), drinking water filtration, flood prevention, historical archive, grazing land and recreational areas. 

Peatlands are among the most carbon-rich ecosystems on Earth. They cover around 400million hectares worldwide (around 3% of land area) and store the equivalent of 75% of atmospheric carbon – more than all other vegetation types in the world combined. In a natural condition, peatlands have a net cooling effect on climate, reduce flood risk, and support biodiversity. Healthy peatlands can reduce flood risk by slowing the flow of water from the uplands, and by providing floodplain storage in the lowlands. 

Damaged peatland is known as "wasted" and between 60 – 80% of wasted peatland in the UK is located within Cambridgeshire. Wasted peatlands become a source of carbon emissions, releasing all that carbon that they were able to store previously. In Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, these carbon emissions are estimated at around 5.1 million tonnes each year. 

The CUSPE 2019 "Net Zero Cambridgeshire" report estimates that green house gas emissions from peatlands are significant – up to 5.1million tonnes CO₂e. This is almost double emissions from all other sources.

In October 2019, full council agreed a Tree & Peatland Motion. This outlined the challenges of carbon emission from peatlands and resolved the Council will: “lobby government for investment to set up a pilot project - with the potential for national roll out - exploring how CCC can become national exemplar in the area of peatland restoration to demonstrate how peatland has the potential to change from a net emissions source to a net carbon ‘sink’”.

As a result of widespread habitat modification and drainage to support agriculture, lowland peat systems which are naturally one of the most carbon rich ecosystems in the UK have become one of the largest sources carbon. However, it is recognised that taking peatlands out of agricultural production could affect national production of food.

Challenge

• Complex balance between agriculture and carbon emission. Large scale peatland restoration alone is not a viable solution.
• Data on the extent and condition of peatland is old and needs updating, to ensure emissions calculations are accurate and action can be targeted to locations that will benefit the most

Opportunity

• Potential for significant carbon reductions if peatland condition can be improved
• Local knowledge of the soils and sympathetic agricultural approaches in the agricultural sector can be extensive, with some farmers more pro-active than others. This local knowledge can be harnessed for peer to peer demonstration of action
• The Council owns over 33,000ha of land, much of which is in the Fens and could be used, with the help of our tenant farmers, as peatland sampling sites to improve the data available

In their natural, wet state peatlands provide vital ecosystem services. By regulating water flows, they help minimise the risk of flooding and drought and prevent seawater intrusion.  They also preserve important ecological and archaeological information such as pollen records and human artefacts.

Due to their waterlogged nature, peatlands accumulate dissolved compounds - draining peatlands can allow the build up of dissolved substances to be released back into the environment. This can reduce the quality of the water we drink. 

Challenge

• Dry lands mean flooding can be more acute as the water cannot soak into the hard soils, damaging homes and crops.
• Clean water provision is fundamental, however poor condition drained peatlands can cause pollutants to enter water systems

Opportunity

• Improved peatland condition can help to buffer against excess water and flooding
• Better peatlands can help to improve water security and quality for the County, and UK
• Patches of restored peatland on farms can be used as miniature aquifers reducing costs of irrigation during drought periods.
• If water levels in some areas could be raised, without damaging existing land use, there is potential to make savings on drainage and pumps.

Peatlands are habitats with a unique biodiversity and are recognised as of national and international significance.

Damage to peatlands results in biodiversity loss. With many species that only survive in the waterlogged peatland areas, drying thee areas can destroy these ecosystems. They also provide important nesting and feeding grounds for many wading birds, as well as important habitats for rare insects and plants and large fen areas now provide the only habitat for many threatened bird species including common crane (Grus grus) and the rare spotted crake (Porzana porzana).

With partners, Cambridgeshire has an aim of doubling-nature by 2050, and are exploring taking part in projects lead by the Local Nature Partnership to explore how this can be achieved in a financially beneficial way.

Challenge

• Peatlands host a unique range of biodiversity, but as they are lost, so too is the plant and wildlife.

Opportunity

• Carefully planned peatland restoration can provide large biodiversity benefits, while also providing new green spaces for people
• More sympathetic agricultural practice can lead to biodiversity gains as well as carbon reductions. Sharing of best practice can enable farmers to understand from peers the benefits they can bring with minimal detriment to their livelihood.