Why Peatlands Matter

Peatlands store vast amounts of carbon, helping to combat climate change by keeping carbon locked in the ground. They also act as natural water filters and flood regulators, while providing a home for threatened wildlife like curlews, hen harriers, and large heath butterflies. However, when peatlands are damaged through drainage, overgrazing, or peat cutting, they release carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change rather than helping to prevent it.

The Challenges We Face

While recent funding streams for peatland restoration are greatly welcomed and vitally needed, there remain numerous barriers to delivering restoration at scale and meeting our targets for restoring peatlands as outlined in the draft NI Peatland Strategy and Climate Change Act.

1. Land Ownership & Community Engagement
Unlike Scotland or England, where much peatland is owned by large estates or utility companies, most of Northern Ireland’s peatlands are in private hands, often divided among many small farms. This makes restoration more complex, as projects depend on getting multiple landowners on board. Successful restoration requires strong local engagement and trust-building – something we’ve been doing through our Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS) and partnership projects like the CANN (Collaborative Action for the Natura Network) initiative. With this in mind, the biggest barrier to delivering any restoration project is whether you have the landowners on board.

2. Limited Funding & Unclear Incentives
While funding exists through DAERA’s Environment Fund, Shared Island and other schemes, there is no dedicated, long-term funding model for peatland restoration in Northern Ireland. In contrast, landowners in England and Scotland have clear programmes, policies and incentives, including clarity around carbon credit schemes that benefit those restoring their peatlands. Here in Northern Ireland, the uncertainty around funding, policies and programmes means that many farmers and landowners hesitate to take action. With the ending of the Environmental Farming Scheme and the delayed initiation of the Farming with Nature Scheme, it is still not clear how peatland restoration will fit within agri-environment programmes in Northern Ireland. In short, whenever a farmer asks us what peatland restoration means for them and their farm, it is very hard to give a clear answer.

3. Lack of Support for Smaller-Scale Projects
Restoring peatlands isn’t just about big estates – it’s also about smaller parcels of land that need help. Current agri-environment schemes like EFS include some restoration measures, but uptake is low because they don’t always cover the costs of complex restoration work. Payment rates for peatland management are also much lower than for other habitats, making it a less attractive option for farmers and do not reflect the importance that these habitats are now shown to have.

4. Policy Gaps on Carbon & Land Management
Farmers are increasingly interested in managing their land for carbon storage, but current carbon calculators don’t properly account for peatlands. In England and Scotland, landowners can see a clear benefit from gaining carbon credits and reducing emissions, but the rules in Northern Ireland remain unclear. Upcoming farm sustainability policies highlight the obligation of measuring farm carbon footprints but provide no clarity on any incentives for reducing emissions through land management. Additionally, peatland restoration is often seen through the lens of carbon, while its biodiversity benefits, such as providing habitat for endangered species, are not given the recognition they deserve in farm policy.

Our Call to Action

To truly unlock the potential of peatland restoration in Northern Ireland, we need:

• Increased and dedicated funding for peatland restoration, ensuring long-term investment in restoring these vital landscapes including options for landowners to deliver the work themselves or enlist external support.
• Clear policies on carbon emissions, so that farmers and landowners can confidently engage in peatland restoration, knowing that it will benefit their farm business.
• A fully funded and effective agri-environment scheme, one that not only supports peatland restoration but also makes it a profitable and attractive option for farmers. This scheme should recognise and reward the full range of ecosystem services peatlands provide, from carbon storage to flood prevention and biodiversity support and should clearly link with wider policy, programmes and funding.

Moving Forward Together

We know that restoring peatlands takes time, effort, and collaboration. Ulster Wildlife is committed to working with landowners, government, and local communities to make restoration a reality. With the right policies and support in place, we can turn Northern Ireland’s damaged peatlands into thriving landscapes that store carbon, support wildlife, and benefit rural communities.

Now is the time for action – let’s work together to remove the barriers and bring our peatlands back to life!