New Report Highlights Barriers to Peatland Restoration for Farmers and Landowners

The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has launched a new report examining the barriers to uptake of peatland restoration among farmers and landowners in Northern Ireland this week.

‘Barriers to Uptake of Peatland Restoration for Farmers and Landowners’ in Northern Ireland,  draws on farmer feedback gathered through surveys and discussions and explores the practical, financial and cultural challenges affecting participation in peatland management schemes and sets out recommendations aimed at informing future Agri-environment policy and supporting a more collaborative approach to peatland restoration that works for both farmers and the environment.

Peatlands play a vital role in biodiversity, carbon storage, water quality and flood mitigation. However, the report highlights that many farmers and landowners face significant barriers to engaging in peatland restoration and management, including concerns around long-term funding, uncertainty over future land use and management prescriptions.

The findings emphasise that successful peatland management cannot be achieved through environmental objectives alone. Instead, future policy must recognise the economic realities of farming businesses and the importance of building trust and further collaboration with those who live and work on the land.

Key recommendations include the introduction of a dedicated long-term peatland fund for farmers and landowners, along with a results focused agri-environment scheme to replace previous prescriptive based schemes and locally based support and training. The report also Identifies opportunities to improve engagement through innovative approaches that strengthen links between peatland management and rural communities.

Many of the issues highlighted in this report were brought to the attention of delegates of the IUCN UK Peatland Programme Conference in Swansea last week, where Sperrin’s hill farmer John Wauchob spoke about his experiences of farming within a protected peatland site and importance of ensuring a collaborative approach to peatland management that does disenfranchise rural communities.

Deputy President Clement Lynch said, “This report is about listening to those who live and work on our peatlands every day and understanding the challenges they face in engaging in peatland management. The message that came through clearly is that farmers recognise the importance of healthy peatlands, but that we need to create the conditions that allow them to engage with confidence.

“By addressing barriers around funding, support and trust, we deliver meaningful environmental and agricultural outcomes while strengthening the communities that manage these landscapes”

You can find the full report here