ORCID

Abstract

Peatlands are areas of land with a naturally accumulated layer ofpeat. These are formed under waterlogged conditions from carbonrich, dead and decaying plant material. In the UK mosses, mainlySphagnum species, are the main formers of peat.Peatlands are found in at least 175 countries – from the tropics to the poles– and cover around 4 million km2or 3% of the world’s land area. In Europe,peatlands extend to ca. 515,000 km2. The UK is amongst the top ten nationsof the world in terms of its total peatland area. The UK has between 9-15%of Europe’s peatland area (46,000-77,000 km2) and about 13% of the world’sblanket bog – one of the world’s rarest habitats. There are three main typesof peatland in the UK: blanket bogs, raised bogs and fens. The internationalimportance of the peatlands found in the UK give it an especial responsibilityfor their management and conservation.The IUCN UK Commission of Inquiry on Peatlands has gathered up-to-dateknowledge from science, policy and practice. The assessment focuses onblanket bog and raised bog peatlands, because they represent over 95% ofall UK peatland habitat and offer an opportunity to make early and substantialprogress in delivering a combination of economic, social and biodiversitygains. However, we recognise that lowland, river and groundwater-fed fenpeatlands are also vital carbon stores, as well as existing and potential areasof rich biodiversity, which have also been subject to intensive and damagingmanagement. Fen peatlands share many of the issues affecting rain-fedpeatlands but with distinct differences in terms of their functions, threatsand pressures, which merit further investigation.A multidisciplinary team of experts produced this Report. It provides anauthoritative assessment of the available evidence, based on peer-reviewedscientific consensus about the state of peatlands, the impacts of differentactivities on peatland ecosystems and the services they provide and thebenefits of restoring and conserving them. The assessment exploresmechanisms and processes for peatland conservation action, recognising thedifferent social, economic and environmental drivers. The evidence-gatheringapproach was inclusive, engaging individual land managers as well as a widerange of organisations, which in itself has helped to foster joint action forpeatland conservation and restoration.The Assessment Report sets out the main conclusions, highlighting gapsand opportunities for further action. It identifies ways to secure additionalfunding and develop expertise to help land managers restore the UK’speatlands and to allow decision makers to take better account of theirmultiple benefits.

Publication Date

2011-10-01

ISBN

9780957057210

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