Peat Evidence Review

This project will synthesise the latest European and UK research on peatlands to support future policy development in England. It will explore a wide range of policy-relevant questions, including how peat restoration affects water quality, aquatic ecosystems, and flood risk; the changes in biogeochemical processes following rewetting; and the greenhouse gas emissions associated with restoration activities and forest-to-bog conversion. It will also investigate the resilience of peatland carbon stocks under climate change, the impacts and thresholds of grazing, the criteria for identifying unrestorable sites, and the potential for quantifying and monetising non-carbon benefits such as biodiversity and ecosystem services. Each question will be examined in terms of evidence strength, quality, uncertainty, and scientific consensus, and findings will be organised into thematic chapters led by subject-matter experts. Aim To provide an evidence-based policy report which comprises topical chapters, based on the questions posed by Defra (see Annex 1). These reports can be utilised as an evidence base to inform future policy and research by Defra and by others in the peatland community.