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Local Authorities and Sustainable Peatland Management: Current Opportunities and Future Possibilities for Local Approaches
Figure 1 – The Ecosystem Benefits Provided by Peatlands
What is sustainable peatland management (SPM) and why is it important?
Sustainable peatland management (SPM) in Wales involves maintaining and enhancing the condition state of peatlands, including restoring more heavily degraded areas of peatlands. SPM is necessary because most of the peatlands in Wales are in a degraded state. This degradation is the result of wildfires, large-scale hydrological modification and unsustainable forestry and agricultural management. Peatland restoration involves activities such as such as improving the vegetation; improving the hydrology (or ‘rewetting’ as it is more commonly known); and/or removing trees and shrubs. In Wales, the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 provides a legal framework for governance that ensures Welsh Government and public authorities aim to contribute to seven statutory goals. SPM is relevant to all of these goals as follows:
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