I have created a petition on the 38 Degrees website.
Please sign it and pass on the link to others, if you haven’t already.
This is the petition:
“Dear Natural England and Secretary of State for Defra,
Please ban heather burning and drainage ditches on blanket bogs, and stop loopholes in the Heather and Grass Burning Code, and other relevant regulations and laws, that can be used to create exemptions to the ban on burning and draining blanket bogs.”
Why is this important?
Blanket bogs are a rare and important habitat, often in Sites of Special Scientific Interest. They are important for biodiversity, supporting a wide range of species; for hydrology and “soft” flood control; and as a natural carbon sink. Scientific research shows that draining and burning them seriously reduces biodiversity; is likely to increase runoff and flash flooding in rivers that they drain into during heavy rainfall; and by increasing the amount of humic dissolved organic carbon flowing from the peat into rivers, turns natural carbon sinks into carbon sources.
I would find it sad if this investigation didn’t go further and take in all North York Moors.
Last year whilst exploring Masham Moor–Aagrah– I was amazed to be confronted by not only burnt heather and roads and pathways, but a varied host of traps being set to kill off localwild habitats to secure only grouse breeding ground to serve those who enjoy killing birds in their spare time, and those who profit from it. In the woods there were a lot of dead animals laid out that had already been snared and killed. I know this is private land but who on earth is policing our heritage up on these moors?
The moors above Fewston reservoir are also being savaged by cut back, pathways and roads, grouse shooting butts, and burnt areas making it less wild and more cultivated than land lower down. I think because people rarely travel these pathways there is so little scrutiny that grouse hunting is taking over on a monopolistic scale that is damaging the environment big time.
Ilkley Moor is even having footpaths built all over it which is ridiculous and it is now a disappointing moorland walk area, more a local park if you can get through during flood times.
It would be great if this campaign took a wider look at moorland in the North as flooding increases we may save a lot of wildlife and plants by examing how much further the damage has travelled.
The press mostly don’t care about this heritage due to most journos being based in London and there not being a lot of prestige in reporting on it.
Increasing the rate of drainage into Hebdon water and the recent, and current floods in Hebdon Bridge with the loss of property and business with costs to the Local Authority and Insurance Companies.- If the burning of the peat bogs had this effect- is it a good idea? Who gains and who loses?
This is on top of the undeniable loss of valuable habitat and the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that peat bog drainage and burning causes. I notice the media have not got hold of this story yet. Have the insurance Companies? Have the Environment Agency?- If Natural England have no teeth there are others who do.
Blanket bogs are natural sponges and carbon sinks, important habitats in their own right and hosts of a wide variety of plants and animals, many rare or uncommon. Burning and draining blanket bogs are both activities that adversely affect these very significant features and should be banned.