2014 Feb T2 Burning Restoration Draft

8/13/2019 2014 Feb T2 Burning Restoration Draft

1/14

Natural England Uplands Delivery Review Programme

Upland PrinciplesSummary guidance

The restoration of blanket bog and

the effects of managed burning on peatlands.

DRAFT February 2014

1

Contents1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 3

2. The 2012 uplands evidence review and its findings ............................................................ 3

3. Scope of guidance and definitions ...................................................................................... 4

Blanket bog .......................................................................................................................... 4

Undamaged bogs, degradation and restoration ................................................................. 4

Managed burning ................................................................................................................ 4

4. Guiding principles on burning and restoration ................................................................... 5

Characteristics of Blanket Bogs in Different States ............................................................. 7

5. Setting Objectives ................................................................................................................ 8

6. Translating objectives to management ............................................................................... 8

1) Maintenance of fully functioning blanket bog and peatlands. ....................................... 9

2) Restoration ...................................................................................................................... 9

3) Management to prevent further deterioration ............................................................ 10

Annex 1: Key Findings from the Uplands Evidence Reviews...............................................11


2/14


Upland Principles Summary guidance:

The restoration of blanket bog and the effects of managed burning on peatlands.

2

Upland Peatlands in the UK

The UK is of international importance for peatlands, holding between 9-15% of Europes

peatland area (46,000-77,000 km2) and about 13% of the worldsblanket bog. There is a growing

recognition of the value of the benefits to society of fully functioning ecosystems such as blanket

bog and the services delivered.

These include:

Provisioning - Producing products such as food (largely limited in blanket peatlands to

grazing, game, honey, and downstream impacts on fisheries), fibre (wool), fuel

(peat/wood), timber, and water supply.

Regulating - maintaining water quality, preventing damaging run-off, storing organic

carbon (preventing potential climate impacts of its loss as CO2), control ofGHG fluxes,

pollination.

Cultural - blanket bogs may generate benefits that relate to societal cohesion,

education, economics, aesthetics, academia, science, archaeology, recreation, health

and well-being.

Supporting - These are ecosystem functions that are necessary for the production of all

other ecosystem services, and could be seen to include nutrient-cycling, soil formation

and mediation of major global environmental cycles.

More detail on the context can be found in the Upland Evidence Review Reports.

Natural England:

considers that all blanket bogs and other peatlands have the potential to be restored;

concludes that burning on blanket bog has a range of impacts which are overall

negative and should therefore be phased out; recognises that there are a range of activities that have resulted in degradation of

blanket bog and the process of eliminating the impacts will, in some circumstances be

gradual. We will work with customers and partners to agree a process by which the

activities, including burning on blanket bog, are reduced and ceased.


3/14




3

1.Introduction1.1. This guidance sets out high-level principles for Natural England staff to assist their advice

and decisions on the restoration of all degraded upland blanket bogs and management by

burning of all upland peatlands, in particular when considering SSSI notices to burn onprotected sites or as part of an agri-environment scheme.

1.2. It is supplemented by more detailed Upland Practitioner guidance (tier 3 HYPERLINK) which

helps advisors to apply these principles at the site level, set priorities according to specific

site circumstances and produce local objectives for discussion with land managers and

stakeholders.

1.3. This guidance has been developed in close consultation with representatives of land

management organisations and other stakeholders with an interest in the upland

environment and its management. Natural England recognises the crucial role they play in

the delivery of its statutory responsibilities and their contribution to the delivery ofecosystem services.

1.4. Issues raised by Natural England advisors and stakeholders have been considered during the

development of this guidance but not all could be addressed by it because they were out of

scope of the evidence reviews.

1.5. Whilst Natural Englandsprime responsibility is to consider blanket bog from an

environmental perspective, we will also seek to develop solutions in our day-to-day work

that support other community and business interests and activities and which provide wider

social and economic benefits. These additional benefits include the full suite of ecosystem

services.

2.The 2012 uplands evidence review and its findings2.1. This guidance is informed by the Natural England Evidence Review Reports Restoration of

degraded blanket bog(NEER003) and The effects of managed burning on upland peatland

biodiversity, carbon and water(NEER004) published in May 2013. They can be accessed

here. HYPERLINK and a summary of their main findings can be found inAnnex 1.

2.2. Whilst the review of restoration (NEER003) related just to blanket bog (including degraded

forms), the review of burning (NEER004) covered a full range of upland peatland habitats

(including degraded or modified versions). Burning on dry heath and wet heath vegetation is

out of the scope of this guidance although many of the principles will also apply to wet

heath.

2.3. Topic review NEER003 on restoration found no evidence that any of our blanket peatlands

cannot be restored, although costs of restoration effort may not be repaid rapidly by

improvements in function, and the timescales for full recovery to approximate undamaged

function may be long.

2.4. Causes of degradation examined included drainage, burning, afforestation, peat cutting,

overgrazing and atmospheric pollution. The characteristics of peat erosion and bare peat

were also investigated.


4/14




4

2.5. Topic review NEER004 found that although there remain acknowledged gaps, there is a large

and increasing evidence base on the effects of managed burning on the flora and habitats,

fauna, carbon sequestration and water quality of upland peatlands.

2.6. Overall the effects of burning are considered to be negative in relation to peatlandbiodiversity, water quality and flow and carbon sequestration (with the majority of findings

negative (51%) or neutral (34%) and the minority positive (14%) for the four main outcomes

considered). Topic reviews HYPERLINK.

3.Scope of guidance and definitionsBlanket bog

3.1. Blanket bog is a feature of European interest and is defined in the Habitats Directive 1992 as

being Extensive bog communities or landscapes on flat or sloping ground with poor surface

drainage, in oceanic climates with heavy rainfall, characteristic of western and northernBritain and Ireland.The EC interpretation manual (HYPERLINK) describes it in more detail

and the JNCC have provided an interpretation of this for the UKHYPERLINK.There are,

however, many definitions of blanket bog.

3.2. For the purposes of this guidance, blanket bog means all moorland vegetation types on deep

peat (over 40cm in depth) including all various degraded forms including bare peat. Blanket

bogs may have small standing water bodies known as dystrophic pools.

3.3. In order to achieve a joint understanding of how we identify it in the field, an applied

definition of blanket bog is currently under discussion with industry and stakeholders. This

will be presented in more detail in the tier 3 practitioner guidance in due course.

Undamaged bogs, degradation and restoration

3.4. The restoration topic review defined undamaged bogs using common standards monitoring

attributes and thresholds as a benchmark and considered studies which revealed the

ecosystem functioning of undamaged blanket bogs. Degradation was viewed as the result of

any activity which changed bogs or their functions away from this state. In the guidance we

have used the term fully functioning blanket bogs to mean those bogs that are actively

sequestering carbon, are in favourable condition and delivering Favourable Conservation

Status (FCS), have the full suite of peat forming species, are not releasing net carbon and

contribute fully to the full range of ecosystem services.

3.5. The review considered that restoration is the action required to restore some or all of the

functions associated with an undamaged blanket bog and included deforestation, re-

vegetation of bare peat, re-establishing Sphagnumbog mosses, controlling undesirable

vegetation and the blocking of grips and gullies.

Managed burning

3.6. Managed or controlled burning is the practice of burning different patches of vegetation on

a site in rotation and has been used in the UK for many years to manage moorlands, heaths

and some grasslands.
http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/habitat.asp?FeatureIntCode=h7130.http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/habitat.asp?FeatureIntCode=h7130.http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/habitat.asp?FeatureIntCode=h7130.http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/habitat.asp?FeatureIntCode=h7130.


5/14




5

3.7. Managed burning in the uplands, usually on dry heath, aims to stimulate new plant growth

for grazing livestock and game birds. Such variation in heather structure can benefit some

other species and also may help in reducing biomass and the consequent impacts from

wildfire events.

3.8. Managed burning occurs on about a quarter of deep peat moorlands in England, mostly in

those areas managed for red grouse, for example, the Pennines, Bowland Forest and

Northumberland, but has also occurred elsewhere in the past. The frequency of burning on

blanket bogs in England varies considerably.

3.9. Managed burning influences the range of ecosystem services delivered by upland peatlands,

through the impacts of fire itself, through its longer-term influence on the vegetation and

through the interaction of both of these factors with the soil.

4.Guiding principles on burning and restoration4.1. Natural Englands overarching principle is that all blanket bogs and other peatland habitats

on deep peat should be restored and maintained as fully functioning ecosystems wherever

they occur. Where they are not fully functioning or reaching FCS they should be restored.

HYPERLINK to tier 3 Upland Practitioner guidance.

4.2. Within the protected sites network, for European sites (SACs) a fully functioning blanket bog

contributes to delivering Favourable Conservation Status as guided by its European

Conservation Objectives. Progress to meeting objectives for these (and national sitesSSSIs)

is measured through condition monitoring. Achievement of site conservation objectives,

measured by favourable condition, is the desired end state for the site feature.

4.3. Natural England believes that all blanket bogs and peatlands have the potential to berestored. However it recognises that:

implementing restoration management may not always be possible due to practical

constraints in place at a particular time. It can be very expensive and sufficient

resources may not be available to carry out restoration works;

the techniques needed to restore some blanket bog types are not always fully

researched but they are being tried and tested by practise through projects. Natural

England is open to taking opportunities to trial, encourage and develop innovative

restoration techniques;

in particular, techniques to restore more severely degraded blanket bogs which are

dominated by dwarf shrubs are still developing, so it may be necessary at least in theshort term to manage heather by burning or cutting to reduce its dominance;

as the evidence base on restoration develops, Natural Englands standpoint will be

reviewed.

4.4. It is not possible to say how long full restoration may take both because sites vary in their

degree and type of degradation. Other outcomes may need to be considered which might

delay recovery times. In addition, the evidence review did not uncover any published

research which reported the full recovery of blanket bog vegetation, which was restored

from a degraded state.


6/14




6

4.5. Where restoration is not practical or resources do not allow, we will agree management that

does not impede the ability for future recovery.

4.6. Whilst there are acknowledged gaps in the evidence there is a growing evidence base that

on balance suggests that any positive benefits from burning are outweighed by negativeimpacts, particularly for biodiversity, carbon and water quality. Natural England will consider

these on a site by site basis taking account of the local situation to assess the impacts of

burning management on these interests and to determine future management.

4.7. Natural England acknowledges that burning on blanket bog is currently viewed as an

essential management tool by many grouse moor managers to deliver grouse moor

outcomes on blanket bog. However, based on the evidence Natural England believes that

burning is not a necessary management intervention for the maintenance of blanket bog

habitats to deliver environmental outcomes. That is to say, burning is unlikely to be

necessary to deliver nature conservation outcomes on upland peatlands other than where

burning is specifically required as part of a restoration programme.

4.8. The Heather and Grass Burning Code (2007) states that there should be a strong

presumption against burning sensitive areasother than in line with a management plan

agreed with Natural England. This includes peat bog and wet heathland areas. All moorland

managers are encouraged to follow the Code. HYPERLINK HGB Code.

4.9. A set of special circumstances apply where burning on sensitive areas is proposed.

HYPERLINK T3. As part of the audit trail and to meet Habitats Regulations requirements on

European sites, these should be set out clearly in a brief plan or statement showing the

process to deliver site conservation objectives and any additional mechanisms needed. This

also forms part of the Habitats Regulations Assessment which must be able to conclude that

there is no adverse effect on site integrity.

4.10. Natural England recognises that where burning management is taking place currently on

blanket bog, the process of eliminating burning is likely to be gradual in some circumstances.

We will work with customers and partners to agree a process by which it is reduced or

ceased so as to achieve identified objectives for the site on an appropriate timescale, using

the best evidence available. However, Natural England acknowledges that there are gaps in

the evidence which may in some circumstances make it difficult to to be sure about the

timescale and outcome of changes in management.

4.11. On European Sites1any plans or projects that include burning, including changing burning

regimes, will need to be assessed through the Habitats Regulations 2010. There is thorough

guidance available on European sites for Natural England advisors. HYPERLINK. On SSSIs

there should be due regard to Natural Englands statutory dutiesand site specific objectives.

1 A European site is designated through European Union law for its nature conservation features. Includes Special

Protection Area (SPA) for its bird interest and Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for its habitat and/ or other species

interest.


7/14




7

Characteristics of Blanket Bogs in Different States

4.12. Blanket bogs display a range of states from undamaged sites to severely degraded areas of

bare or lost peat resulting from a complex of factors including location, climate, atmospheric

pollution, historical and current management.

4.13. As part of the guidance refresh, Natural England has identified six broad blanket bog states

to help advisors decide what might be appropriate objectives and management for their site

circumstances. There are likely to be more than one of these states on a site, and many

areas will be intermediate between them.

4.14. These states do not replace existing systems for classifying bog types or monitoring their

condition. The tier 3 upland practitioner guidance describes the states in more detail with

National Vegetation Classification codes and photographs.

4.15. These states are simply a convenient and helpful tool to aid decision-making for the

purposes of this guidance, to prioritise restoration and to help us explain our position toland managers.

4.16. In summary, the states are:

1) Active hummock/hollow blanket bog:This is un-modified or little modified active(peat-forming), Sphagnum-rich blanket bog, basin or valley mire often with hummocks

and hollows. Typically neither heather nor cottongrass achieve high abundance and

there is usually a good Sphagnum understorey. It meets, or is close to meeting

favourable condition attributes.

2) Modified blanket bog:Dwarf shrub cover is high, often reaching 50-75% of the canopy,and Sphagnum cover tends to be lower. Cottongrass is abundant or frequent as an

understory and becomes dominant in the years following fire. It is active, only less so,

with peat formation likely to be slower. It may be drained, but usually with few gullies or

haggs. Characteristic of much of the Pennines.

3) Grass/sedge dominated blanket bog: Likely to still be active but dominated bygraminoids such as purple moor-grass, cottongrass or deergrass with Sphagnumbog

mosses scarce or absent (but not including grass/sedge dominated areas in modified bog

(2 above) following recent burning). Unlikely to be extensively drained and usually with

few gullies or haggs.

4)

Dwarf-shrub dominated blanket bog: these are largely inactive, severely modified bogswhere dwarf shrub cover exceeds 75% of the canopy and other typical mire species such

as bog mosses and even cotton grass are only occasional or rare/absent. It may have

moderate to severe gullying and hagging. Occurs often on drier peats and the more

easterly moors.

5) Bare peat bog: Little or no vegetation with areas of exposed bare peat and extensivegullying and hagging. Unlikely to support representative peatland communities. Dwarf

shrubs are dominant in small patches.


8/14




8

6) Afforested bog: blanket bog sites subject to plantation with trees as a commercial crop,usually exotic conifers.

5.Setting Objectives

5.1. When making decisions on whether blanket bog is fully functioning and where management

by burning is practised or proposed, advisors should set out clear, site-specific objectives.

These should be based on the best available information on the condition of peatland

habitats and species and statutory Conservation objectives in the case of protected sites.

Objective-setting is outlined in the Quick Start tier 1 guidance and in the more detailed

Upland Practitioner tier 3 guidance.

5.2. Decisions about management should be based on an assessment of likely effects in relation

to the main objective of maintaining or restoring blanket bog to Favourable Condition for

the site. This is likely to deliver other ecosystem services outcomes and contribute to

delivering Favourable Conservation Status.

5.3. As part of this process, clear communication with landowners and/or managers, including

graziers, keepers and their agents is crucial. Proposed objectives and the rationale for them

need to be clearly presented, along with a justification for the management proposed.

5.4. In order to set objectives and prioritise restoration or management, an understanding of the

state of the blanket bog and the services it provides and could provide is needed for the site.

With this in mind, advisors should aim to achieve well-defined and measurable

improvements in blanket peatland condition and functionality.

5.5. Where blanket bogs are fully functioning, delivering ecosystem services and cannot be

improved, we must aim to maintain this state.

5.6. Where resources and practical considerations allow, we should seek to restore the

functionality of blanket bogs.

5.7. Where the provision of blanket bog services is not optimal and there are practical

restrictions which mean we cannot improve current functioning, we must aim for

management that does not impede the ability for future recovery.

6.Translating objectives to management6.1. Natural England believes that all blanket bogs and peatlands have the potential to be

restored. The primary objective is for those which are not functioning fully ie those whichare inactive or less active is restoration. Our objectives follow a hierarchy as set out below:

1) Maintenance of fully functioning blanket bog and peatlands. The primary objective foractive bogs is to retain their functionality.

2) Restoration. The primary objective for inactive or largely inactive bogs or bogs which areotherwise not fully functioning.

3) Management to prevent further deterioration.Where resources or practicalconsiderations do not currently allow for restoration.


9/14




9

1) Maintenance of fully functioning blanket bog and peatlands.

6.2. This objective applies to active hummock/hollow blanket bog. These active bogs are

considered to be climax habitats and should require little intervention to maintain peatland

biodiversity, peat accumulation and structure.

If active management is proposed it should be compatible with maintaining these

features and functions. These areas should not be burned;

Management by burning should not be introduced and any existing practice should

cease;

Livestock grazing at low intensity may be compatible with these objectives but is unlikely

to be necessary;

Whilst this type is the most functioning type, there may be scope for improvement.

2) Restoration

6.3. Natural England believes that all blanket bogs and peatlands have the potential to be

restored. Natural England will through necessity have to prioritise interventions based on

environmental benefit and value for money.

6.4. The tier 3 Upland Practitioner guidance shows how the restoration of the six identified

blanket bog states relate together. HYPERLINK. It indicates the broad types of management

required, the strength of the evidence base and the effort required to apply these

interventions successfully. Management by burning should not be introduced unless it

forms part of a restoration plan. Burning should be phased out.

6.5. Priorities for restoration should be set locally and agreed with managers, stakeholders and

partners within the relevant national policies and legislation which guide the delivery ofuplands environmental outcomes. For example, Biodiversity 2020 within and outside the

protected sites network including targets for favourable condition, geodiversity, the

Landscape Convention, the Historic Environment, climate change adaptation and soils.

6.6. Natural Englands work on objective setting, and the joint DefraNatural England outcomes

framework document are useful tools which should be used by advisors. Tier 3 upland

practitioner guidance HYPERLINK. Gov.uk. link to outcomes framework HYPERLINK.

6.7. The uplands evidence review did not uncover any published research which reported the full

recovery of blanket bog vegetation, which was restored from a degraded state. Therefore

having undertaken restoration management to move a blanket bog from a degraded state

towards a less degraded state, it is important that progress should be monitored and

objectives reviewed to assess whether the blanket bog is progressing to the ideal

hummock/hollow state. Tier 3 Upland Practitioner guidance HYPERLINK.

6.8. There are a range of possible interventions for the restoration of blanket bog. These include

1) Grip and gully blocking to improve hydrological functioning;

2) Re-vegetation: To stabilise eroding peat surfaces;

3) Introduction of peat forming vegetation to aid re-activation;

4) Removal of trees;


10/14




10

5) Controlling undesirable vegetation, including by burning and cutting.

6.9. Mostly, restoration management will be highly compatible with maintaining interest for

birds, geodiversity and archaeology.

3) Management to prevent further deterioration

6.10. Whilst Natural England believes that all blanket bogs and peatlands have the potential to be

restored, it may not always be possible at present and it may be justifiable to agree

management which will aim to prevent further degradation and permit fuller restoration in

the future. Management by burning should not be introduced and should be phased out.

6.11. Where it may not currently be possible to begin restoration measures it may still be

appropriate to agree changes to management, including burning, in the interim to prevent

or slow down further deterioration. The following list, which is not exhaustive, show

circumstances where this approach might apply:

there are other recognised overriding environmental interests. For example, the land is

important for birds, is designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) and actions to

manage or restore blanket bog are not necessary for these interests;

the land is important for its geodiversity or historic environment interest and restoration

may not be a priority for these interests;

there is no mechanism to influence land management change. For example if the

peatland is outside the protected sites network and/or there is no agri-environment

agreement;

techniques for restoring the most severely degraded, heather-dominated blanket bog

(state 4) are still in development and not fully tested. In this case, some trial restoration

sites are to be encouraged; there are severe physical constraints to restoration such as steep slopes, shallow peat

and no donor sites;

there is a lack of resources including funding to deliver restoration.


11/14

Annex: Summary of Findings from the Uplands Evidence Reviews

11

1. Introduction Top1.1. This annex provides a brief summary of the findings of the evidence reviews on blanket bog

restoration and burning effects on upland peatlands which are described in full in the

corresponding Evidence Review Reports.

1.2. For burning, only effects based on strong or moderate evidence are listed below. HYPERLINKNEER03 & NEER04.

2. Characteristics of undamaged bogs2.1. The restoration review (NEER003) found that undamaged blanket bogs:

are characterised by at least 40cm of peat (or 30cm over rock);

support vegetation composed of wetland plants: at least 50% cover of six key species, which

include purple moor-grass, bog-mosses, cottongrasses and other sedges, dwarf shrubs, and

insectivorous plants and other bog specialists, with ericaceous dwarf shrubs, deergrass or

hares -tail cottongrass not covering more than 75%;

accumulate peat which is formed mainly from bog moss and cottongrass remains, possibly

also purple moor-grass Molinia caerulea, but with dwarf shrubs only as a sub-component;

are carbon (C) sinks, but emit methane;

support high water tables in an active surface layer overlying a permanently waterlogged

anaerobic layer of peat;

show rapid run-off responses to rainfall, though this is slowed by any areas of Sphagnum bog

mosses; and

have low export of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) but also contain some peat pipes.

3. Burning extent, frequency, type and characteristics3.1. The burning review (NEER004) found that:

Rotational burning occurs on about a quarter of deep peat on moorland in England, mostly

in the Pennines, Bowland and Northumberland. Over the remainder of the resource, burning

on deep peat is now infrequent or does not normally take place, although it did occur on

some of this land in the past.

There has been an increase in the extent and frequency of managed burning on moorland in

England, including specifically on degraded dry blanket bog in the North Peak ESA. There

has been a similar recent increase in the number of gamekeepers employed and potential

number of shooting days per year on grouse moors in the north of England, although this

relates to all heather-dominated moorland rather than specifically peatlands.

Remote sensing surveys show that there is considerable variation in the frequency of

burning on upland peatlands:


12/14


12

o nationally, the average burn return period for heather-dominated peatland was 27

years in 2000, although this included the majority of upland peatland that is subject

to little or no rotational burning;

o in areas where rotational burning occurs on deep peat, the average return period on

heather-dominated areas (between 2001 and 2009) was shorter: 12 years in theNorth York Moors, 15 years in the North Pennines and 25 years in the Peak District;

o in most of these areas, the proportion burnt per year on upland peatland and dry

heath were similar; and

o the proportion burnt per year in the national dataset was similar on SSSIs and (the

smaller area of) non-designated upland peatland.

Burns into the bryophyte and lichen layer and in to sensitive areas occur in a proportion of

cases on blanket bog and wet heath (in 11-17% of all, including unburned, samples in two

recent national surveys).

Heather moorland in one area (the Peak District) which is mostly managed by rotational

burning is less prone to the occurrence of wildfires than other moorland habitats. Although

they still occur relatively frequently, this reflects lower than predicted occurrence in relation

to the (large) area of heather moorland.

Moisture content, vegetation type and phenology, recent weather and human factors are

important factors in the ignition of fires.

Fuel load and structure are critical factors in fire behaviour, particularly in fireline intensity

(heat output per unit length of fire front) and rate of spread, although residence time and

depth of penetration of lethal temperatures into the soil are perhaps more important in

determining severity of impact, but are much less well understood.

4. Impacts of management4.1. Ploughing blanket bogs and planting trees:

lowers water tables;

causes subsidence of the peat;

changes the ground flora;

reduces methane emissions;

increases C capture rates.

4.2. Cutting peat on blanket bogs can damage bog vegetation. Bare peat surfaces dry out but it

remains wet lower down in the peat mass.

4.3. Cutting drains (grips):

lowers the water table, especially down slope of the drain;

discourages Sphagnum bog-mosses, while encouraging plants that like drier environments;


13/14


13

is associated with more peat piping and accelerates erosion in steeper drains;

may alter catchment river flows but this depends on catchment and drain characteristics;

reduces methane emissions.

4.4. Managing peatlands by burning:

results in a change in vegetation composition and structure, causing an initial decline in

dwarf shrub cover and diversity and an increase in graminoids (grass-like plants), followed by

an increase in dwarf shrubs (though most often the studies were on sites subject to

rotational burning so refer to longer-term effects);

reduces the cover of bryophytes;

creates bare ground and reduces the structural diversity of bog surfaces;

through changes in vegetation composition and structure is likely to affect the functioning of

the peatland ecosystem, reduce the likelihood of the maintenance and restoration of active,functioning peatlands and hence have effects on associated ecosystem services;

benefits open-ground invertebrates such as ground beetles and surface-active spiders

although these are not necessarily characteristic peatland species;

influences moorland breeding birds through its impact on vegetation structure, but different

species prefer different structures;

may result in loss of eggs from early nest attempts of some ground-nesting moorland birds if

done late in the burning season (up to 15th April);

affects the C cycle in peatlands by increasing DOC in watercourses (especially soon after

burning), reducing peat accumulation, reducing above- and below-ground C storage,increasing particulate C loss (erosion) and peat subsidence, and increasing both transpiration

and photosynthesis;

affects water quality, by increasing DOC and changes pH and concentrations of some

chemicals, for example increasing aluminium, iron and sodium and decreasing calcium,

chlorine and bromine;

reduces the diversity and community composition of aquatic invertebrates in watercourses;

may increase runoff, but catchment water flow and flood risk effects are likely to be

catchment specific;

can interact with grazing in the initial period following burning resulting particularly in agreater increase in the extent of bare ground;

results in increased grazing of purple moor-grass by sheep and deer, but this may be short-

lived; and

reduces fuel load and may therefore have benefits for fire risk management, alongside other

measures such as cutting and/or the creation of a network of firebreaks and control zones.

There may be an increased need for fire risk management in future, if certain climate change

scenarios become a reality.


14/14


14

5. Impacts of other environmental pressures5.1. The atmospheric deposition of Ammonium and other pollutants can damage Sphagnum bog-

moss species but some can survive current deposition rates.

5.2. High cover of heather is associated with more peat pipes, leads to increased DOC and may

result in release of more methane than where Sphagnum or cottongrass are the main species.

5.3. Gullying and hagging are natural phenomena. They lower the water table and are most

associated with high, flat areas of bog whilst linear gullies can also form in peat on steeper

slopes. Gullies and haggs mostly erode slowly but some show rapid erosion of up to 6cm loss

per year. The natural processes can be exacerbated by certain management interventions.

6. Impacts of restoration management6.1. Felling trees on afforested peatlands can encourage blanket bog vegetation to recover

especially where planting is recent or where waste wood is chipped.

6.2. Re-vegetation of eroding peat

can be achieved using nurse grasses or heather aided by applications of lime, fertiliser and

stabilising treatments such as geo-jute;

will help prevent loss of particulate organic carbon (POC);

will not prevent ongoing loss of peat as DOC or as carbon dioxide (CO2); and

may be managed to restore Sphagnum, provided the right combinations of water table,

chemistry, species, mulches and/or nurse species are used.

6.3. Dominance of purple moor-grass can be reduced with intensive application of grazing, cutting

and or herbicides.

6.4. Gully blocking will trap eroding peat sediment which will become re-vegetated.

6.5. Blocking grips:

raises water tables;

increases abundance and diversity of invertebrates;

encourages wetland plants;

is unlikely to show rapid recovery of catchment flow properties and reduction of DOC

export, which may also be strongly influenced by local factors;

will probably decrease CO2 emissions but increase methane emissions;

will result in reduced Green House Gas flux, especially where pools formed by blocks are left

open rather than infilled or re-profiled and if Sphagnum bog-moss vegetation, rather than

heather or cottongrass, is encouraged between grips;

6.6. Not all grips in a peat mass necessarily need to be blocked. Those on shallow slopes will re-

vegetate naturally, and may infill.

2014 Feb T2 Burning Restoration Draft

Documents

Transcript of 2014 Feb T2 Burning Restoration Draft