Evidence and References

Heather and peat burning 

Upland areas are vitally important landscapes for people and wildlife. The combination of heather, peat and sphagnum moss means our uplands work as a huge sponge and natural water filter, cleaning over 70 percent of our drinking water and holding back vast amounts of rainwater that otherwise might contribute to flood waters that threaten our homes and businesses. 

According to a 2009 report by Natural England, peat is a major carbon store, holding the vast majority of the 300 million tonnes contained within the country’s peatlands. 

With 70% of the world’s heather moorland and 13% of the world’s blanket bog found in the UK it is no wonder that our uplands are internationally important and protected by national and European designations. 

However, the IUCN peatland Programme⁴ concluded that:

1. The overwhelming scientific evidence base points to burning on peatlands causing damage to key peatland species, peatland ecosystem health, and the sustainability of peatland soils. 
2. Burning vegetation on peatland brings no benefits to peatland health or sustainability.
3. Evidence points to peatland restoration management not requiring burning; burning is harmful to the prospects of peatland restoration. 
4. Misleading interpretations of some scientific work point to methodological inconsistencies in defining peatlands and assessing impacts of burning management; there is no evidence that peatland ecosystem health in the UK benefits from burning. 
5. The most effective long-term sustainable solution for addressing wildfire risk on peatlands is to return the sites to fully functioning bog habitat by removing those factors that can cause degradation, such as drainage, unsustainable livestock management and burning regimes. Rewetting and restoring will naturally remove the higher fuel load from degraded peatland vegetation. 
6. Further research and good practice guidance is required for managing wildfire risk on peatlands.  

Research shows Research by the University of Leeds⁵ shows that heather burning on moorland can destroy sphagnum mosses, decrease diversity and population size of invertebrates in rivers draining from burned areas. It can also increase water table depth and damage underlying peat which is of great concern in regard to climate change. The same research also found that water table depth is significantly deeper in areas where heather burning has taken place. Where the water table is deeper, the surface will dry out and degrade, releasing carbon into the atmosphere. 

In 2020, the Committee on Climate Change, the independent, statutory body established under the Climate Change Act 2008, called for an end to rotational burning.

In 2021, the Government introduced new regulations banning the burning of certain types of vegetation on protected blanket bog peatland (deep peat over 40cm) without a valid licence⁹ from Defra. Although Midhope Moor estate in the Peak District National Park was subject to the first successful prosecution of burning on deep peat in England in May 2023 there are issues with the legislation¹⁰ and burns happening anyway¹¹.

In October 2023, there was outcry from the residents of Sheffield as moorland burning which appeared to be coming from multiple privately-owned grouse moors (Moscar Moor, Broomhead Moor, Langsett and Midhope Moors) caused smoke to drift over into Sheffield causing air pollution concerns. 

SRWT responded publicly on local radio, press and on social media. The Leader of Sheffield City Council responded by writing to the Secretary of State for the Environment Steve Barclay MP¹² asking for a ban on moorland burning, highlighting the many issues, including the impact on air quality. Olivia Blake MP¹³, South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard and Director of Public Health Greg Fell all responded as well with a public meeting being held in February 2024. No adequate response from the landowner has been forthcoming and they declined to be part of the event¹⁴. The Moorland Association responded by saying “by undertaking small controlled burns, a variety of habitats is created, which benefits upland species and reduces the severity of wildfire in the spring and summer”. We disagree with this position based on the evidence outlined above.

Footnotes:

4. https://www.iucn-uk-peatlandprogramme.org/about-peatlands/peatland-damage/burning-peatlands?s=03
5. Brown, L.E., Holden, J. 7 Palmer, S.M., (2014) Effects of moorland burning on the Ecohydrology of rivers basins. Key findings from the EMBER project. University of Leeds https://www.leeds.ac.uk/news/article/3597/grouse_moor_burning_causes_widespread_environmental_changes https://water.leeds.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2017/06/EMBER_full-report.pdf 

9. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-a-licence-to-burn-on-deep-peat-within-a-protected-site/guidance-how-to-apply-for-a-licence-to-burn-on-deep-peat-within-a-protected-site
10. https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/peatland-burning-new-regulations-for-blanket-bog-habitats/
11. https://upland-burning-rspb.hub.arcgis.com/?s=03
12. https://sheffnews.com/news/sheffield-city-council-leader-calls-for-moorland-burning-ban?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=
13.  https://parliamentnews.co.uk/heather-burning-is-bad-for-the-environment-bad-for-the-climate-crisis-and-bad-for-the-health-of-people-its-time-for-an-outright-ban
14. https://www.thestar.co.uk/business/moorland-burning-duke-of-rutland-responds-to-smoke-summit-invite-from-mayor-4434977?s=03

Stink pits, snares, traps and shooting

The use of snares is currently legal in England.

The reason gamekeepers control foxes, stoats, weasels etc on areas of the Sheffield moors is because these mammals are seen as a threat to intensively rearing large numbers of young pheasant and grouse chicks – critical to ensuring a good shooting season. Arguments are also made for ‘control of these predators’ because they will take young ground-nesting birds such as curlew and lapwing. 

Defra best practice on the use of snares can be found here and also on the sector’s own websites, for example, BASC who highlight the following good practice

Defra best practice on the use of snares can be found here¹⁵ and also on the sector’s own websites, for example, BASC¹⁶ who highlight the following good practice.

• Quality, not quantity
• You must never set snares on runs where there is evidence of regular recent use by non-target species such as badgers, deer, otters, farm livestock and domestic animals, as they may be caught or injured by the snare.
• Remove snares if there are signs of non-target animals, including their capture.

Quality not quantity?
Stink pits are fenced enclosures, bins or holes dug out by gamekeepers who then fill them with carcasses of discarded game birds, as well as other wild and domestic animals in order to attract predator species in to the snares.

Here is an example of a stink pit found on Sheffield’s moors:

Stink pits are not considered best practice. The one above had at least 12 snares within a small fenced area. Single snares were also in the vicinity. This illustrates an excessive use of snares by local gamekeepers and does not follow good practice guidance of quality over quantity.

That’s why we’re calling for a ban on stink pits in England. Sign our petition calling for a ban on stink pits – link coming soon.

You must never set snares on runs…
The picture below was taken near our Nature Reserves and illustrates an example of a snare set in what we believe to be a well-used badger track, with badger fur and dung both identified within the snare site. This also does not follow best practice guidance – badgers are protected by law and are a ‘non-target’ species.

Remove snares if there are signs of non-target animals….

In the photo below, taken on a nearby Sheffield moor, it appears that ‘non-target’ species are being repeatedly captured – in this case mountain hares. The current approach to managing the Sheffield moors appears to be having a significant and detrimental effect on the local mountain hare population.

Footnotes:

15. https://www.antisnaring.org.uk/laws/defra-code-of-practice-on-the-use-of-snares/
16. https://basc.org.uk/pest-and-predator-control/shooting-and-trapping/