UK Peatland Strategy

Question 1

How many hectares and percentage of land do peatland bogs cover in the UK?

Answer 1

2 million hectares (10%)

Question 2

How much more carbon do peatland bogs store than the world’s forests?

Answer 2

Twice as much

Question 3

What percentage of UK peatland bogs have been damaged?

Answer 3

80%

Question 4

When does the UK aim to restore the UK peatland bogs?

Answer 4

By 2040

Question 5

What percentage of UK peatlands support semi-natural vegetation?

Answer 5

95%

Question 6

What is the main type of peatland bog in the UK?

Answer 6

Blanket Bog

Question 7

What have many peatland areas been used for?

Answer 7

Sheep grazing causing overgrazing and trampling

Question 8

Why were blanket bogs drained in the past?

Answer 8

For forestry and agriculture

Question 9

What are the Scottish Isles and Northern Ireland abusing peatlands for?

Answer 9

Extraction for fuel

Question 10

How many hectares did Raised bogs once cover compared to now?

Answer 10

70,000 ha and now only 3,800 ha

Question 11

What takes place in lowland bogs?

Answer 11

Mining of peat for horticulture and fuel

Question 12

How have destroying peatlands affected biodiversity?

Answer 12

Major losses in biodiversity

Question 13

How have peatland carbon stores been affected?

Answer 13

No longer sequestering carbon. Now they are just emitting

Question 14

How much CO2 is being emitted each year?

Answer 14

16 million tonnes

Question 15

What is that the equivalent too?

Answer 15

Around half of all the reduction efforts made annually in the UK

Question 16

Why do peatlands need to be restored?

Answer 16

To reverse the effects and reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Question 17

What acts as an important food source?

Answer 17

Peatland invertebrates

Question 18

What are additional costs arising from? (4)

Answer 18

Loss of biodiversity, damage to farming, flooding and drinking water impacts

Question 19

Monetary benefits?

Answer 19

Benefit of inland water bodies to water quality alone is worth £1.5 billion per year in the UK

Question 20

What is the impact of carbon losses in the UK? (£)

Answer 20

Could extent to around £210 million per year

Question 21

What is causing a challenge to peatland restoration in the UK?

Answer 21

The UK’s exit from the European Union is presenting funding challenges

Question 22

How is peatland restoration obtaining funding?

Answer 22

Charity organisations and public funding

Question 23

What other factor will prove to be challenging for peatland restoration?

Answer 23

Climate change, with increasing expectations of drier summers

Question 24

What opportunities does restoring peatland provide?

Answer 24

Opportunities for employment through restoration and ongoing management