Just before Christmas a new scientific paper was published by experts from Leeds University, revealing that burning on deep peat is widespread on many Scottish grouse moors, and that, surprise surprise, land managers were ignoring the new (voluntary) Muirburn Code which suggests burning on peatland should be avoided (see here).
Today, one of the study’s authors, Dominick Spracklen, Professor of Biosphere-Atmosphere Interactions at the University of Leeds has written an easy-to-understand blog about the study to help the public (and I daresay politicians engaging with the Wildlife Management & Muirburn Bill) understand the importance of minimising the extent of these peatland fires.
It’s well worth a read – here.
Raptor Persecution UK 
“It’s well worth a read”
I agree. And, if anything, it understates the importance of the issue – because peat of considerably less depth than 50cm contains an astonishing amount of stored carbon.
It’s not just burning but forestry too. I was alerted to ploughing for conifers on peat in early 2021 by a concerned member of the public whose photos showed the ploughing was being done on deep peat, despite the company knowing it couldn’t plough there. I, in turn, contacted Forestry Scotland, which was unaware of the situation, but took action.
I wouldn’t be surprised that it happened all over the place.
I did give it coverage in my paper, by the way
If the heather is not burnt you will just end up with massive wildfires in summer which really will cause damage to peatland and will be impossible to put out I hope everyone one ignores this and carries on burning as normal
“If the heather is not burnt you will just end up with massive wildfires in summer”
No, you won’t. You can mow it, can’t you? Or, are you too lazy to do that?
“I hope everyone one (sic) ignores this and carries on burning as normal”
So, will you be advocating illegal activity, then?