Peat bogs form some of England’s most scarce habitat and provide a unique home for a wealth of plants, animals and insects. They also provide an important feeding and stopping-off point for native and migrating birds. Because peat bogs can be thousands of years old they contain layers of historical data. By examining a section of peat, scientists can tell what our landscape was like, what type of animals colonised the area, and what weather conditions prevailed. If we continue to destroy these peat habitats we will ruin a vital part of our natural heritage, lose dozens of rare plants, animals and insects and miss out on the chance to look into the past.
Please note that this document is published for historical and research purposes.