Welsh Government's Sustainable Management Scheme contributes £1m to restore and protect peatlands in Wales

Wales has over 70,000 hectares of peatland and most of these are blanket bogs in the uplands. Now it has been announced that important peatlands across the whole of Wales are to receive £1m in funding to help restoration and protection. The Mawndiroedd Cymru scheme is a joint venture between the Snowdonia National Park Authority, the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, Natural Resources Wales and the National Trust, along with other strategic organisations. 

In an item posted on the Snowdonia National Park (Welsh: Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri) webpage, Rhys Owen, Head of Agriculture and Conservation at  Snowdonia National Park Authority said on behalf of Mawndiroedd Cymru:

“We are extremely grateful to the Welsh Government for its generosity in contributing towards a scheme which will help to ensure a prosperous future for Welsh peatlands. Peat restoration is beneficial to all elements of today's society as it reduces carbon emissions, improves water quality and improves river management. In addition, it will assist land managers in improving grazing opportunities, it will retain the distinctiveness of our historic landscapes and preserve prehistoric features.

Our intention is to establish a hub or an electronic platform that will be the focus point for all data and research relating to Welsh peatlands, provide an accreditation scheme when delivering training to land managers to improve and restore peatlands, then provide packages or bundles of different areas with the intention of attracting a new market to invest in the peatlands through the Payment for Ecosystem Services scheme, The Peatland Code."