The UK Government has announced new funding to encourage the development of lowland peat.

£7.5 million has been set aside to support new water management infrastructure that will aim to increase resilience to drought and drive peat growth.

An additional £5 million grant has also been launched to support projects trying to understand and overcome obstacles to paludiculture becoming commercially viable.

The £7.5m grant will be split into two pilots. The Lowland Agricultural Peat Small Infrastructure Pilot (£5.45m) will support the installation of infrastructure and monitoring technology to enable more control of water levels for the preservation and rewetting of lowland peat. Delivery of this project is being supported by the Association of Drainage Authorities.

The Lowland Agricultural Peat Water Discovery Pilot (£2.2m), to be delivered by the Environment Agency, will allow local and water peatland partnerships to collaborate to develop costed water level management plans for lowland peat areas in England.

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By rewetting peat soils, the government aims to deliver carbon emission reductions, improve food security, boost wetland biodiversity, and better protect communities from flooding.

Commenting on the scheme, Environment Minister Trudy Harrison said: "Our peatlands are invaluable allies in our battle against climate change, housing over half of our terrestrial carbon stores and providing resilience for future farming.

"These new measures, which includes funding for innovative new water management schemes, bolster our efforts to protect and improve peat soils – enhancing carbon storage, preserving vital ecosystems, and paving the way for a more sustainable future."

Reflecting on the scheme's potential impact, Robert Caudwell, Chair of the Lowland Agricultural Peat Task Force said: "I thank all the members of the Lowland Agricultural Peat Task Force for their time and commitment to finding ways of managing lowland agricultural peat that are sustainable and substantially reduce carbon emissions.

"All the evidence demonstrates that reducing carbon emissions from lowland peat is vital as part of the United Kingdom government’s plan to tackle climate change.

"The report and the U.K. government's response are important first steps in a journey that will require partnership between all stakeholders, and I am confident that the work that is already underway will give farmers opportunities to develop their businesses and contribute to the challenge of net zero."