Yorkshire has some of the largest and most important areas of peat in the UK but scientists are growing increasingly concerned that they are losing one of their most important characteristics: the ability to absorb millions of tons of carbon dioxide from the air.

Carbon gases are believed to be significant contributors to climate change and Government and EU policy is to reduce them dramatically by the year 2020 – so the loss of this absorption ability in peat is of major concern.

The areas of peatlands at risk include the Yorkshire Dales, the North York Moors, and an area between Doncaster and the River Humber in South Yorkshire which was once the major British centre for the extraction of peat for garden compost.

A major survey into the problem was launched yesterday by the Government quango Natural England which reported that these areas had been badly damaged by air pollution and poor land management in the past. How to tackle the problem is being studied by the newly formed Yorkshire Peat Partnership, which aims to substantially increase the amount of peatland being restored in upland areas by working with farmers and landowners.

Rob Stoneman, Chair of the Yorkshire Peat Partnership added “Yorkshire peatlands are the rainforests of Northern Europe – they are teeming with life and provide a rich habitat for many of our rare species.

“We want to better understand how peat works and share the vital information with others so that the benefits from peatland habitats can be enjoyed by future generations to come.”