All sales of peat to amateur gardeners in England will be banned by 2024 , the government has announced on Saturday , twenty-seventh August .
Peatlands are the UK ’s large carbon copy stock , but only approximately 13 % of our peatlands are in a good - instinctive state . This degradation has pass off due to drainage for agricultural purpose , overgrazing and burning , as well as extraction for consumption in growing media . Bagged retail grow media score for 70 % of the peat sold in the UK and is oft misused , for example , being used as a filth improver rather than a medium in which to broadcast plants . When this extraction take shoes , the carbon stored inside the bog is free as carbon dioxide , contributing to clime alteration .
Rewetting Risley Moss , a peat peat bog in Warrington , England . Credit : Paul Thomas , Natural England .
Peat origin also demean the body politic of the wider peatland landscape , detrimental habitat for some of our rarest wildlife , such as the swallowtail butterfly stroke , hen harrier , and shortly - eared owls , and negatively impacting peat ’s power to prevent flooding and filter piss . A significant ratio of the UK ’s piddle supply state or flow through peatlands .
The measures announced will give to efforts to accomplish our challenging mark of restoring 35,000 hectares of peatlands by 2025 and wider effort to achieve net zero .
ConsultationThe announcement follows anextensive public consultation , which take in more than 5,000 responses , with over 95 % in favor of the government take action to ban retail peat sales . The regime has also salute to continue to ferment closely with the professional horticulture sphere on speeding up their passage to peat - free alternatives in the lead of a forbiddance for the professional horticulture sector , realize that the professional horticulture sector confront additional technical barriers that will take longer to overcome .
The governing is also launching a new £ 5 million fund to promote the use of peatlands for sustainable farming . It will indorse the consumption of paludiculture – the exercise of farming on rewetted peatland – which will help further safeguard food security measures , produce alternatives to horticultural peat and shrink environmental impacts .
Environment Minister Richard Benyon said : " This Government understand the importance of maintain peat levelheaded and in the reason , here and around the mankind – to lock up carbon copy , strengthen drought resilience and serve as a herculean nature - based solvent to climate change . The military action foretell today mark a new chapter in the story of our iconic peatlands – safeguard their long - term health and vitality as part of our committal to achieve Net Zero and redeem our 25 - Year Environment Plan . "
Precious ecosystemsChair of Natural England , Tony Juniper , said : " Peatlands are precious ecosystems that shield beautiful and fascinating wildlife , influence the character of iconic landscape painting , purify water and help to slim outpouring risk . They are also our largest natural carbon memory board , lock away away over 580 million tons . This ban on the sale of peat - base compost and piece of work to phase out manipulation in other area is an essential tone toward protect these worthful natural assets and allowing for the recovery of degraded areas .
We are working with Defra and partners on the ground to mend thousands of hectares of peatland habitats , and today have awarded over £ 11 million to restore lowland situation in the southwest of England and highland sites in the north of England . These projects will have multiple benefits , hold carbon , helping some of our scarcest wildlife to recover , reducing flood risk , and rendering landscapes more lively to climate change impacts such as drouth and blast . "
Professor Alistair Griffiths , Director of Science and Collections at the Royal Horticultural Society , said : " Peatlands are the earth ’s largest carbon copy store on land , with dandy electric potential to store carbon long condition , helping to hit net zero . They reduce flooding when rewetted , cut back fire hazard and provide worthful habitats for both plant and animals . To harness the climate and biodiversity crises , it is essential that we have a sustainable changeover to peat - free alternative growing media . The RHS stop selling peat - based growing media bag in 2019 and will stay to wreak with Defra , industriousness , and gardener to accelerate the conversion to peat - devoid . "
Round two of the Restoration Grant has indorse a portmanteau word of lowland and upland refurbishment works , with the Somerset Peatland Partnership convening to restore lowland sites in the southwest of England and the Great North Bog and Moors for the Future partnership restoring upland sites in the north of England . We will also short be announcing the winner of our second round of Discovery Grants .
New alternatives to horticultural peat , make through paludiculture and otherwise , present the chance for England to protect nature through fleeceable Book of Job creation , as well as become one of the globular leaders in the yield and cut-rate sale of sustainable growing medium .
For more selective information : Government of UKwww.gov.uk
