Useful insights from a peatland restoration story in the UK
Further to the story about peatlands I shared in last month’s newsletter, a video was shared with me last week, which provides interesting insights into an example of peatland restoration in the UK. You can watch the 12 minute video below.
For me, this story highlights how the issues confronting peatlands are global: the reasons for their degradation, methods of restoration and challenges financing this important work, are broadly similar to those we face here in south-eastern Australia. That said, peatlands are less common here in Australia and we are still very much lagging behind the Europeans in a policy sense, as we lack some of the key tools already in use in Europe, like a carbon methodology that accounts for the vast amount of carbon emissions that can be avoided by rewetting drained peat.
Peatlands accumulate carbon slowly, but are capable of releasing it much more rapidly once artificially drained, so both protecting and restoring our peatlands are equally important activities.
If you would like to support NGT’s work to restore peatlands across south-eastern Australia, we have a number of important peatland restoration projects in the pipeline in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania that require additional major investment to make them a reality. If you are in a position to assist or work with us, it would be great to hear from you (email: ).
PS – if you would like to learn more, some stories about our past and/or ongoing peatland restoration projects can be seen via the following category links on our website:
- Glenshera Swamp and Square Waterhole Swamp (Fleurieu Peninsula, SA)
- Mt Burr Swamp (South East SA)
- Long Swamp (South West Victoria)
- Apsley Marshes (East Coast, Tasmania)
