Peatland Wildlife Welfare: Draining, Burning, and Restoration

UK peatlands support unique wildlife communities. Drainage and burning for grouse moor management have degraded peat habitats and caused population-level welfare declines in dependent species.

Key Facts

UK peatlands store twice as much carbon as all UK forests combined
Rotational heather burning on grouse moors keeps vegetation at an early growth stage for red grouse
Burning releases carbon, damages peat structure, and reduces habitat for wading birds and raptors
The UK Government banned burning on protected deep peat in 2021 but enforcement is incomplete
Blanket bog restoration through drain-blocking creates habitat for golden plovers, curlews, and dunlins
Over 80% of English upland blanket bog is in degraded condition from historical drainage

Welfare Considerations

Burning and drainage of peatland reduces food availability and habitat quality for curlews, golden plovers, dunlins, and other wading birds, affecting their reproductive success and survival. Birds attempting to nest on degraded peat experience nest failure from flooding (paradoxically, drainage destabilises water tables making wet nesting areas unpredictable). Raptors on grouse moors face ongoing illegal persecution. The loss of peat carbon through burning contributes to climate change, creating second-order welfare harms across entire ecosystems. Peatland restoration creates measurable improvements in wading bird welfare at landscape scale.

What You Can Do

Support peatland restoration charities including RSPB and Wildlife Trusts restoration projects
Advocate for complete enforcement of deep peat burning bans in protected areas
Use peat-free compost in your garden — peat extraction from lowland bogs destroys habitat
Learn about the biodiversity and carbon benefits of intact peatland and share this with others