Countryside Alliance welcome Defra's grants for peatlands restorations

The Countryside Alliance welcomes the Government's announcement of a new injection of £10m of government money that will help restore 6,580 hectares of England's iconic peatlands. The Government says this vital work will abate and store an estimated 23,000 tonnes of carbon per year, contributing to the UK's climate change goals.

Some of the funding targeted at upland peat restoration will support the efforts already being taken by grouse moor owners in the North of England, who have already undertaken restoration projects on over 24,000 hectares of peatland. The Government's commitment is therefore a welcome contribution and acknowledgement of the value of that work.

Countryside Alliance Director of Shooting Adrian Blackmore said: "Grouse moor managers have been working with Defra and Natural England for years to block drains, revegetate bare peat and encourage the growth of sphagnum moss. This new investment is a welcome contribution to the cause of peatland improvement, and shows that the Government appreciates the value of this work to wildlife, water quality and the climate."