Fears as restrictions on peat burning could be extended after Labour government reignites debate

The revised ban reclassifies "deep peat" to include peat at a depth greater than 30cms, rather than the previous 40cms, and extends the ban to land classed as "less favourable”.

Additionally, burning could only take place under strict licensing to avert issues such as wildfires.

The Wildlife Trusts have welcomed the move, but said all peatland should be protected from burning.

The proposals, which are out for public consultation, could mean that an extra 146,000 hectares of upland peat areas will be protected from burning.

Dr Rob Stoneman, director of landscape recovery at The Wildlife Trusts, said: “A ban will be good news for the air that we breathe, for the water we drink, and for the natural carbon cycle – and it will mean less flooding for people. It’s also brilliant news for wildlife.”

However, the Countryside Alliance argues that controlled burns, carried out by trained experts like farmers, gamekeepers and conservationists, are the most effective way to reduce heather fuel loads. Low-intensity "cool burns" remove the heather canopy, preventing peat and moss below from burning and creating natural fire breaks to help contain wildfires. It has pointed to how in 2018, Saddleworth and Marsden moors experienced wildfires that took ten days to being under control in an effort involving firefighters from seven counties assisted by gamekeepers, wardens from the Peak District National Park, National Trust and RSPB, as well soldiers, farmers and other volunteers.

In addition, University of York researchers have found water levels higher in moorland areas managed by burning than those left unmanaged; a wetter landscape further diminishes the risk of wildfire.

The Yorkshire Dales Moorland Group, which works with gamekeepers and others to educate the public about moorlands, said the proposals had “come as a surprise, particularly as the consultation was never mentioned during any recent workshops and stakeholders meetings” held with Defra and Natural England. Mr Chadwick said the proposals highlighted a lack of consistent science over moorland vegetation management, and in particular burning, and it seemed some science was “being cherry-picked to justify the proposals” while more robust science was being deliberately ignored.

He said: “In light of the proposals the moorland group is extremely fearful that we will see accumulations of fuel loads if restrictions are introduced and we could see Los Angeles type fires in the British uplands. What we will see without doubt is damage to special habitats, peat destruction, carbon loss and potentially fatalities. These proposals do not have the best interests of wildlife and habitats at heart. Current practices of controlled burning have prevented wildfire incidents in the Yorkshire Dales for many years.”

Mr Chadwick said while the licensing process for consented burns appeared to be a path forward, the moorland group knew from experience the current license application process was “already fraught with serious problems”.

asddsadas