Briefings

Image: Bogbean © Emma Hinchliffe

Briefings

These briefing notes are aimed at policy makers, practitioners and academics to help explain the ecological processes that underpin peatland function, and advocate for sustainable peatland management. Understanding the ecology and hydrology of peatlands is essential when investigating the impacts of human activity on peatlands, interpreting research findings and planning the recovery of damaged peatlands.

PDFs of all our briefings can be downloaded below.

Our most recent briefings are: 

 

wildfire brief cover page

 

Methane briefing
Agricultural issues briefing Sustainable paludiculture briefing

 

Editorial note: Use of Peat Depth Criteria: Accounting for the Lost Peatlands v1.1 was edited on 27th July 2023 to reflect an error in data in Figure 1. The data pertaining to Sitka spruce plantations from Morison et al. (2012) was incorrectly published as 103.5 t C ha-1 and has been amended to the correct figure of         417 t C ha-1, to include the soil carbon stock from peaty gley soil.

Image of machinery being used on a peatland to restore the habitat
Natural Resources Wales announces new funding for peatland restorationA new restoration fund, managed by Natural Resources Wales (NRW), was launched this week in an…
The IUCN UK Peatland Programme team at the base of Kinder Scout
Reflecting on 2024: a busy year for peatlandsAs the year draws to a close, the IUCN UK Peatland Programme looks back on 2024.
Four people in outdoor clothing looking out across a peatland landscape. Image credit: Mark Reed
Help answer the question: Do investors undervalue the social impact of peatland projects in the UK when making investment decisions?Business professionals at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership are seeking…
Photograph of Cornwall Sustainability Awards on a table with a screen in the background
Big Win for Cornwall’s Peatlands at Local Sustainability AwardsThe South West Peatland Partnership (SWPP) has been recognised at the 2024 Cornwall Sustainability…
Aerial image of hagging on a damaged blanket bog landscape. Image credit: Mark Brown
Technical review of remote sensing for UK peatlandsThe IUCN UK Peatland Programme has commissioned a technical review of the potential and…
Salmon leaping out of the water. Image credit Stephen Barlow
New species showcase - Atlantic salmonThe latest in our series of species showcases celebrates the Atlantic salmon and the role that…
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…