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Local Authorities and Sustainable Peatland Management: Current Opportunities and Future Possibilities for Local Approaches
Conclusions and Recommendations Welsh Government has ambitious targets for SPM and has tasked Natural Resources Wales with creating a National Action Programme to achieve this. NRW’s peatland map focuses on areas of deep peat >40cm. Whilst there is, of course, benefit in focusing on large-scale restoration of areas of deep there may also be possibilities to support SPM in different ways and at more local scales. Local authorities can have an important role in developing local knowledge of peatlands and integrating this in local policies and action as well as influencing and working in partnership with other organisations. SPM can provide multiple ecosystem benefits and recognising this is key to the maximisation of the benefits of SPM to local communities. Local authorities have a number of core functions that are relevant to SPM and can also undertake discretionary and externally funded activities in support of this aim. Much will depend, however, on their ability to develop and incorporate local knowledge of peatlands in these different policies and operations. Local authorities may also have a significant role in influencing other actors and working in partnership with them. Much could be gained, for example, from sharing experiences and expertise between Natural Resources Wales, National Parks, the third sector and local authorities. There are some existing mechanisms to support this, such as Local Nature Partnerships, Public Service Boards and Area Statements, which may provide a focus for action in the future. Practical action to support SPM will require significant funding and by recognising the multiple benefits of peatlands, and the value of local knowledge in this respect, local authorities may be able to work with partners to access funding from a variety of sources. This may require some skills development in understanding the challenges and opportunities of SPM in the local area; making grant applications; and in developing partnerships for the delivery of projects. In future, local authorities may be able to assist in developing opportunities for private funding. These are all activities that will require ‘resource’, which can be sourced from the local authority or through other external initiatives. SPM is an example of a nature-based solution that can contribute to Welsh Government’s agenda for action on climate change and nature recovery. However, legal frameworks and national policy in Wales are generally developed on a sectoral basis that does not always support SPM. There is a need to ensure that these frameworks provide a more effective underpinning for local action on SPM. In particular, there is a need to carefully consider how existing policies will support the development of resilient ecological networks, at multiple scales, that contribute to both carbon storage and biodiversity. Indeed, SPM as the focus of this report has highlighted some wider issues with respect to the role of local authorities in developing nature-based solutions and resilient ecological networks in Wales. Arguably, ecological systems of governance work best where there is a clear emphasis on multi-level governance. This requires careful consideration of the best means of providing strategic direction for action and delivery on the ground; and recognising a range of technical expertise and local knowledge in decision making. Overall, the conclusions of this report suggest that Welsh Government could improve the current approach to SPM by providing strategic guidance to local authorities and supporting the development of local knowledge on SPM as part of wider work to develop nature-based solutions and resilient ecological networks in Wales.
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