Restoration Audit For Nature Recovery Targets Peat

This specific R&D project relates to the development of a Peat Restoration Audit for Nature Recovery Targets and seeks to investigate the availability and application of data relating to peat restoration to help record progress against nature recovery targets, specifically the target within the Environment Act for at least 500,000 ha of new wildlife-rich habitats by 2042 and the NRN.

Project Aims

1. Investigate available data sets and prepare methodology for extracting data for the development of; o a draft spatial layer identifying areas of known degraded peatland for use in this project (this will be replaced at a later date with data from NE's new Peat Map). o a spatial layer of past and current restoration activity for use as a baseline for reporting of future net increases in activity, i.e. Jan 1st 2023, and for incorporation into the HCSA. 2. Apply the methodology to create a spatial layer that uses the best available data to identify o the current known areas of degraded peat o the baseline of current peat creation/restoration activity (Note that this activity will be dependent upon data availability and any useful data sources not currently available need to be recorded). 3. Review approaches being adopted in Scotland and Wales for mapping peat restoration and provide recommendations for consideration as part of the England Peat Restoration Register that allows for easy extraction of data for biodiversity target reporting and input into the HCSA. 4. To recommend a methodology for reporting peat restoration in relation to the wider habitats target within the Env Act target the NRN that NE and/or Defra may use.