Peatlands and Carbon
Prepared by Paul Leadbitter
North Pennines AONB
What is Peat?
 A soil that contains a high proportion of dead organic matter, that has
accumulated over thousands of years in cold, wet conditions.
 The formation of peat is a very slow process, and it takes approximately 10
years for 1 mm to 1 cm of peat to form.
 About half the weight of dry peat is carbon
Peatlands absorb and emit carbon dioxide
and other greenhouse gases
Healthly peatlands, covered by a continuous blanket of mosses,
grasses and shrubs, can absorb and then lock away carbon
Damaged or eroding peatlands will export carbon,
as exposed peat washes or blows away
The Global Situation
Where are the world’s peatlands?
The Global Situation
World Peatlands
Africa
North America
South America
Asia
Europe
UK
Middle East
Oceania
Carbon Storage
Healthy Wet Peatlands = carbon storage
2000 tonnes of carbon stored per hectare of peat*
Europe has 515,000 km2 of peat
UK has 17,500 km2 of peat
Peat is the most important terrestrial carbon store in the UK
Much of the peatland in the UK is protected under UK and EU law
Carbon stored in UK peat = All the carbon
stored in the forests of the UK, France and
Germany combined.
Peat is a significant store of carbon;
Restoring degraded peatlands can be a cost effective option;
Peat restoration is a fairly ‘simple’ procedure and is long lasting;
Peat restoration provides multiple benefits;
Using natural ecosystems as a carbon store is sustainable;
Peat as a carbon store is one tool at our disposal;
There is a global mandate to restore and conserve peatlands.
Much peatland restoration is ongoing in the
Pennines. This includes moorland drain
blocking, as pictured here on Whitfield Moor in
Northumberland
Several university research studies in the
Pennines are now examining how land
management affects the carbon balance of
moorlands.
For more information on peatland restoration
and research in the North Pennines, please contact
the Peatscapes team via
www.northpennines.org.uk
Or
Tel 01388 528801