Building a Peatland-Positive Future: Funding and Policy Updates for 2026–2030
England’s peatlands are on the brink of transformation. These landscapes hold the key to cutting greenhouse gas emissions, boosting biodiversity, and building farm resilience. With the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2025 setting bold restoration targets and new funding streams announced for 2026–2030. For more information, see the Defra Lowland Peat Newsletter The Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2025 , published on 1 December, aims to rest
Douglas Hobbs
Dec 19, 20252 min read
Unlocking Typha: How to Boost Fibre Production to Create Sustainable Textiles
A summary of the excellent webinar presented by Islam Abdel-Aziz, exploring how to increase Typha latifolia seed‑head production to boost fibre yields. A copy of the slides used in this webinar can be downloaded as a PDF here>> To make wetlands work for farmers and the climate, we need wet‑grown crops that are productive, reliable, and simple to manage. The latest ADAS trials with Typha latifolia (common cattail) explore how planting density, depth, rhizome maturity, and in
Douglas Hobbs
Dec 10, 20255 min read
Strengthening the Evidence Base for Peatland Policy in England
The IUCN UK Peatland Programme (IUCN UK PP) is pleased to launch the Expression of Interest (EOI) process for a major Defra-commissioned project: Strengthening the Evidence Base for Peatland Policy in England (November 2025–March 2027). As an individual or organisation involved in peatland restoration, IUCN UK PP invite you to review the topics proposed and submit an expression of interest if your organisation would like to be involved. This substantial review aims to synthe
Douglas Hobbs
Dec 4, 20252 min read
Peatlands: England’s Hidden Climate Heroes
Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 - GOV.UK . When we think about climate action, forests and renewable energy often steal the spotlight. But beneath our feet lies one of the most powerful natural tools for tackling climate change: peatlands . These waterlogged landscapes store more carbon than all the world’s forests combined. Yet, when degraded, they release greenhouse gases, turning from climate allies into climate culprits. That’s why the UK government’s Environmental Im
Douglas Hobbs
Dec 2, 20252 min read
Immersive Virtual Drone Planting Experience
ARU-Peterbough are giving a free opportunity to experience drone planting in the environment and for agriculture. Time & Location 05 Dec 2025, 13:30 Peterborough Research Innovation Centre, Bishop's Rd, Peterborough PE1, UK Booking will close on Tues 2 nd Dec 5pm, places are limited. To book email Joanna.Bellett-Travers@aru.ac.uk , The Head of Agri and Environment Drones SIG for ARPAS-UK, will be at the event to answer questions. The Immersive Virtual Drone Planting Event wi
Douglas Hobbs
Dec 2, 20251 min read
Paludiculture Gains European Spotlight on Euronews
Euronews highlights the Palus Demos project at Ballaghurt Bog, demonstrating paludiculture’s potential to align peatland rewetting with economically viable biomass production. Paludiculture — the productive use of wet soils — is emerging as a transformative approach to farming across Europe, with promising benefits for both agriculture and water quality. This potential was recently highlighted in The Road to Green , a Euronews TV series hosted by Cyril Fournier, which explore
Douglas Hobbs
Nov 7, 20251 min read
Recommended reading from Lancashire Wildlife Trust
Image: Lancashire Wildlife Trust Fashion’s hidden footprint and how peatlands can help Liv Symes from materials science company Ponda® explores the environmental cost of fast fashion and how their Biopuff® material is supporting peatland restoration in the North West. 🔗 https://www.lancswt.org.uk/blog/guest/fashions-hidden-footprint-and-how-peatlands-can-help Historic harvest underway for boggy bulrush trial in Manchester A blog from the end of September celebrating the fi
Douglas Hobbs
Oct 30, 20251 min read
Paludi4All promising species survey
The Paludi4All project is after some information to help them identify promising species and value chains that can support climate mitigation and rural development. To help them in this study, they would like you to complete their survey . The survey focuses on 13 species, or species‑groups, identified in prior research as having potential as paludiculture crops in temperate zones of Europe (Abel, S. & Kallweit, T. (2022) Potential Paludiculture Plants of the Holarctic. Pag
Douglas Hobbs
Oct 21, 20251 min read