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Local Authorities and Sustainable Peatland Management: Current Opportunities and Future Possibilities for Local Approaches
Figure 2 Sustainable peatland management and the wellbeing goals in Wales.
Prosperous Wales – peatlands provide an important carbon store (and have some ability to sequester carbon in a reconditioned state) helping to achieve the aim of a low carbon society in Wales. They also form an essential part of the landscape that attracts tourism and investment. A Resilient Wales – peatlands are essential to the resilience of ecosystems and restoring peatlands can make an important contribution to flood prevention and climate change mitigation. Peatlands also provide a habitat to some of our most endangered species, such as the Marsh fritillary. A Healthier Wales – peatlands exist in areas that provide an environment for recreation, whether it is walking in wilderness areas of upland peatlands or enjoying the flatter landscape of lowland peatlands. This kind of recreation is important to our physical and mental health. A More Equal Wales – peatlands often exist in areas of rural poverty or post-industrial Valleys landscapes. Protecting the values of peatlands in these areas is also, therefore, important to enhancing equality in Wales. A Wales of Cohesive Communities – peatland form an essential part of the landscape that is important, not just to tourism, but link local communities to their natural and cultural heritage. This helps to create a ‘sense of place’ and belonging for communities in Wales.
A Wales of Vibrant Culture – peatlands make a significant contribution to the heritage of an area and can themselves help tell its history from a paleontological perspective.
A Globally Responsible Wales - the measures we take to sustainably manage peatlands in Wales contribute to global targets set out in international agreements on biodiversity and climate change.
What measures are currently being taken to secure SPM in Wales?
Welsh Government set out is policy ambition for peatlands in a Decision Report, in 2019, as follows:
• ensuring all peatlands with semi-natural vegetation are subject to favourable management/restoration (a minimum estimated area of 30,000 ha); and, • restoring a minimum of 25% (~c. 5,000 ha) of the most modified areas of peatland.
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