Farmers in North West England will set an example for the future role of agriculture in protecting and adapting land that can play a key role in the fight against climate change.
A new government-backed project, led by Manchester Metropolitan University, will bring farmers and scientists together to show the potential benefits that farming on rewetted peatland can have on both the climate and farmers’ businesses.
Peatlands are important for lots of specialised wildlife and play a huge role in the fight against climate change as they capture and store carbon that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.
However, large areas have been historically drained to make the land suitable for forestry and farming.
This type of lowland farming on peatland is a large employer in North West England and makes significant contributions to the rural economy as well as being important for the UK’s food production.
But by relying heavily on the drainage of lowland peat for farming, the landscape becomes a large emitter of greenhouse gases and will have a negative effect on both climate change and flood risk management.
In 2020, carbon emissions from drained agricultural peatlands in England were estimated at 8.5 million tonnes, which is around 3% of England’s overall emissions.
Working with Lancashire Wildlife Trust at the Winmarleigh Moss Carbon Farm near Preston, Manchester Met researchers have already found that peatland saves around 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per hectare, per year in comparison to a drained peatland that is grazed by sheep.
Supporting farming and protecting the environment
In a new project, the University will work with farmers to show the benefits of farming on rewetted peat – which is known as paludiculture.
Paludiculture is a sustainable alternative to traditional farming as it combines the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from drained peatlands with continued support for farming and the production of income-generating crops.
The habitats are usually created by raising of the water table in areas of drained peatlands to achieve wetland conditions.
When these conditions are created and maintained, the wet grasslands can grow vegetation or permanent crops specific to peatland which can be managed and harvested by farmers.
Dr Chris Field, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Ecology at Manchester Met, said: “Our new project will define and demonstrate the future role of peatlands in ensuring the best results for our climate and for farmer’s businesses.
“We aim to share best practice from existing and emerging trials in the UK and the EU by engaging with farmers and learning from the successes we have already seen in this area.
“Working in collaboration with the National Farmers Union (NFU), we have already surveyed farmers with the aim of understanding their perceptions of climate change and how altered land management practices, particularly on peat, can help to tackle climate change.”
