Widespread public and organisational support is delivering long-term protection for those areas of peatland in good condition and is preventing damaging activity that would reduce peatland function in other areas. This recognition of peatland benefits is delivering the means for peatland conservation.
The following UK Peatland Strategy highlights the following objectives to communicate peatland values, both intrinsic and measurable, to a wide audience:
- Communication instils public support for peatland conservation, restoration and sustainable management as delivered by accompanying goals:
- Provide printed and digital resources to enable understanding of peatlands
- Share peatland stories with the media
- Showcase peatland restoration case studies
- Disseminate key messages to stakeholders
- Present peatland science in an accessible format.
The aim is for peatlands to be recognised for the benefits they provide and for society to be aware of both the benefits of healthy peatlands and impact of degradation by 2040.
The milestones to help monitor progress against these outcomes are:
2020 - Increased peatland coverage in the media, which supports the goals of this strategy (demonstrated through an impact survey).
2030 - Public attitudes survey demonstrates widespread knowledge of peatlands and support for public spending.
2040 - With a large proportion of the UK’s peatlands in good condition or under conservation management, communications work is focused on the benefits these habitats are delivering and the need to maintain conservation of these areas.
