New mapping of England’s peatlands has revealed that 80% of the habitats are dry and degraded.
Scientists mapped England’s peatlands and peaty soils for the first time using satellite imagery, artificial intelligence and in-depth data analysis to create the most complete map to date, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said.
The open source map, launched on the government’s website on Monday, models the extent, depth and condition of England’s peat, encompassing vegetation, gullies and human-made and natural draining channels.
Healthy peatlands can help to tackle the climate crisis, reduce flood risk, improve water quality and support rare wildlife including the golden plover, curlews and 25 species of dragonflies. However, degraded peat means carbon is emitted into the atmosphere, contributing to global heating.
The map found that peaty soil covers roughly 8.5% of England’s surface, with the most extensive peatland habitats in the Pennines, North York Moors, parts of the Lake District and the uplands of the south-west.
However, the research also found that 80% of England’s peatlands were in a dry and degraded condition.
The map showed that while three-quarters of the peatlands are covered by plants and land use types associated with dryer conditions, only 1% were covered by important peat-forming plants such as sphagnum moss.
Dr Sallie Bailey, Natural England’s chief scientist, said: “Trying to map something that’s largely underground, changes in volume depending on whether it’s rained recently and tries to swallow you up every time you set foot in it comes with its challenges, which makes this map extraordinary in its accomplishment and something of a global first.
“Mapping peat to this level of detail will help us maximise the benefits of peat and massively advances our understanding of the role our peatlands are playing in a changing climate.”
Defra has said understanding how much peat England has is the first step to calculating how much carbon it holds and how much it is releasing.
Ministers also hope that land managers will use the map to better understand and restore peatland, through measures such as blocking drainage channels to re-wet the land, and that it will help decision-makers in balancing biodiversity and carbon storage with food security.
Tony Juniper, the chair of Natural England, said: “The benefits of healthy peatlands are well documented. They are our biggest natural carbon stores, essential to the water cycle and refuge to some of our rarest plants and wildlife, such as the carnivorous sundew plant, marsh violet, and charismatic birds like golden plover and curlew.
“The England peat map will allow us to make far better and more informed decisions when it comes to managing peatlands – targeting restoration efforts to the most degraded peat and identifying the best opportunities for nature recovery.”
Caroline Thorogood, the National Trust’s lead for peatlands, said: “The data in the map will help us take a significant step forward to more accurately map peatlands that we own and care for in England and understand their condition.
“This will allow us to better identify priorities and action future work to recover our precious peatlands, helping nature thrive and providing benefits such as carbon storage and water regulation.”