News | Thursday, 24th August 2023
North West farmers to lead the way in new sustainable land management
New project will show the benefits of farming on peatland
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.”
Government initiative
The project, which is funded by Natural England’s Paludiculture Exploration Fund (PEF), will include interviews and workshops designed to embed the practice and increase the willingness of farmers on lowland peat to experiment with paludiculture.
By taking the best practice in land management and adaptation alongside the knowledge and needs of farmers, Manchester Met researchers will create a knowledge hub and exhibition that will be available across the UK.
The PEF is baked by £5 million of government funding, which will support projects exploring how water levels might be raised and managed, how crop production might be increased, or how new products and markets can be developed from paludiculture crops.
Projects will work to investigate how to reduce peat wastage and greenhouse gas emissions, while understanding barriers and kickstarting paludiculture towards becoming a commercially viable farming practice.
On the announcement of the funding for the project, Environment Minister Trudy Harrison said: “Our peatlands are invaluable allies in our battle against climate change, housing over half of our terrestrial carbon stores and providing resilience for future farming.
“These new measures, which includes funding for innovative new water management schemes, bolster our efforts to protect and improve peat soils – enhancing carbon storage, preserving vital ecosystems, and paving the way for a more sustainable future.”
