Officials pass strict ban on longstanding practice on private land: 'Burning them is bad'

The British government is intensifying its efforts to protect a vital ecosystem with a comprehensive ban on a harmful practice.

The Guardian reported that, as of Sept. 30, burning on deep peat in England will be prohibited. The new legislation will triple the acreage of protected lands under the previous government from 222,000 hectares to 676,628 hectares (1.67 million acres).

England's peatlands are in a dire state, with around 80% dried out, posing a significant risk to wildlife and exacerbating flooding. Some farmers burn peatlands to create space for grouse for sport shooting, but this has terrible consequences for the many creatures that call peatlands home.

Peatlands are immensely valuable for storing carbon; an estimated 3.2 million tons of carbon is held nationwide. However, when they burn, they become a massive net emitter. Worse still is how long it takes peatlands to recover from a fire, whether natural or man-made. According to research by the University of Cambridge, the process can take centuries.

The Environment Minister, Mary Creagh, said, per the Guardian: "Our peatlands are England's Amazon rainforest — home to our most precious wildlife, storing carbon, and reducing flooding downstream. Burning on peatland releases harmful smoke, ruining local air quality and damaging the precious ecosystems found in these iconic landscapes."

Just over the border, Scotland has been taking similar measures to protect its peatlands. Certain matters, such as health and environmental policy, are devolved and overseen by the Scottish Parliament. The Guardian highlighted the significant impact that can be achieved for the environment through local action and the election of officials who prioritize climate issues.

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While the measures are opposed by some rural lobbying groups, they have been welcomed by conservationists.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds' chief executive, Beccy Speight, said: "Extending the ban on burning over peat in the English uplands is a hugely positive step forwards toward protecting these precious habitats and reducing carbon emissions. Burning them is bad for nature, for the climate, for water quality, and for managing flood risk."

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