Latest News

The IUCN UK Peatland Programme advocates the multiple benefits of peatlands through partnerships, strong science, sound policy and effective practice.

Desmids of peatlands © Emma Goodyer

Latest News

European Commission starts legal action over burning of UK protected sites

May 12, 2016
The European Commission has started legal action against the UK Government following formal complaints from RSPB and Ban the Burn (a Hebden Bridge-based campaign group) as regards land management of Walshaw Moss, an upland shooting estate and protected Special Area of Conservation (SAC) that is recognised for its globally important blanket bog habitat.

BogLIFE Bringing Lowland Raised Bogs to Life: latest newsletter

May 11, 2016
BogLIFE has released its second newsletter with updates from both the Cumbria BogLIFE team and the Humberhead Peatlands LIFE+ team.

FAO release new infographic on peatlands

May 11, 2016
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has released a helpful infographic highlighting the ecosystem services provided by peatlands and the damage draining them can create. Download: Peatlands and Climate Change

Update from Moors for the Future

May 10, 2016
The winter months have been busy for the team at Moors for the Future Partnership, with lots of work spanning peatland restoration, research and management. Here Emma Downes from the Peak District National Park gives us a quick round up of all the activity:

PhD Position in Ecohydrology at The School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast

May 10, 2016
The School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering at Queen’s University Belfast seeks to engage a graduate in Earth Science, Environmental Science, (Field-based) Life Science or Environmental / Civil Engineering for the following salaried PhD position investigating ecosystem services associated with blanket bogs:

Monitoring goes on: SCaMP Project in North West England

April 17, 2016
United Utilities SCaMP project has been monitoring impacts of restoration on peat groundwater levels, colour production/ release and vegetation enhancement for ten years and are set to continue to 2020. An interim report shows positive changes in vegetation and water quality - download below for more information.

Action for Scotland’s peatlands: Peatland ACTION Project update

April 14, 2016
As we come to the end of another busy year it only seems right to take stock of what Peatland ACTION has achieved. It seems strange to think that only three years ago it all started...The Green Stimulus Peatland Restoration Project. First things first, changing the name to Peatland ACTION was instantly a hit! In addition to restoring Scotland's peatlands the project aims to enhance peatland biodiversity, their resilience to climate change and to build capacity and interest among land managers to restore peatland habitats.

Exterior view of Virtual Peatland Pavilion showing four large domes in an urban landscape
New Virtual Peatland Pavilion launched for COP29To raise awareness of the global importance of peatlands during COP29, the latest pavilion has been…
Cover image for 'The most important plant in the world' showing the film's title in yellow text over a background of Sphagnum moss
Specially commissioned film celebrates 'The most important plant in the world'The IUCN UK Peatland Programme has commissioned the first in a series of short films, celebrating…
Cumbrian tarn - large body of water with emergent vegetation and hills in the distance. Image credit Steve Hewert.
Launch of the Peatland Code Version 2.1The IUCN UK Peatland Programme has launched a new update to the Peatland Code, which helps to boost…
Flat peatland landscape on fire with large plumes of smoke. Image credit Paul Turner
New brief highlights the importance of peatland rewetting for wildfire resilienceThe IUCN UK Peatland Programme's latest publication explores recent evidence from the UK and North…
Painting of a river in spate: Peter Graham 1866, 'A spate in the highlands'
Call for proposals for Water Research Seminar SeriesThe IUCN UK Peatland Programme and the Environment Agency are delighted to announce a series of…
'Work in progress' sign with a digger on it next to two photographs of children drawing on large sheets of paper
The Power of the Peat Bogs! How pupils turned their environmental education into a song Primary school pupils who have engaged with a project to restore ancient peatland and traditional…
SWPP award
South West Peatland Partnership awarded gold by Global Good AwardsThe South West Peatland Partnership won a Gold award at the Global Good Awards for their work…
Exterior view of Virtual Peatland Pavilion showing four large domes in a desert landscape
Seeking content for the COP29 Virtual Peatland PavilionThe IUCN UK Peatland Programme and Global Peatlands Initiative are seeking new content for an…
UK Peatland Strategy
New report celebrates UK peatland restoration – but climate and nature targets still at riskAnalysis reveals 250,000 hectares of peatland restoration activity over 30 years – way short of the…
Peatland at Inshriach, Allt a’ Mharcaidh
Largest ever gathering of UK peatland experts to celebrate ‘Peatlands, People and Nature’ in the Cairngorms National ParkAviemore in the Cairngorms National Park is to play host to the UK’s largest gathering of peatland…
Landscape of mountains and forest
View the full programme for #PeatConf24 and book your tickets now!The full programme for the IUCN UK Peatland Programme 2024 conference ‘Peatlands, People and Nature…
CivTech in white writing with blue background and outlines of scales, lightbulb and book
CivTech challenge invites ideas for Peatland Code and Woodland Carbon CodeProposals are being invited for the Scottish Government's CivTech Challenge 10.6 to use technology…