Sheffield Council urged to save the future of the peat moors

In a letter sent to council leader Julie Dore, Ban Bloodsports on Yorkshire’s Moors has sought support from the local authority for a ban on moorland burning, an ecologically-destructive practice that involves shoot operators setting fire to heather to engineer habitat for grouse, which are shot for sport.The plea comes just weeks ahead of the grouse shooting season opening on the ‘Glorious Twelfth’ of August, although burning does not start again until October.

Campaigners believe any future burning can be stopped by government intervention, with Defra having already committed to introducing legislation.

Spokesman Luke Steele said: “It’s past time to put an end to the burning of rare peatlands for grouse shooting — a practice which degrades fragile ecosystems, releases climate-altering gasses into the atmosphere and worsens flooding in communities downstream from grouse moors like those in Sheffield and Rotherham.

“With burning continuing on grouse moors on the edge of the city, we are calling for Sheffield Council to show its support for a burning ban to help save the region’s peatlands from further damage.”

Almost three quarters of peatlands in England are damaged or degraded, Natural England has revealed, with burning being a key driver.During the last burning season, from October to April, Ban Bloodsports on Yorkshire’s Moors compiled more than 550 reports of peat moorlands being burnt across the county. This is despite assurances given by grouse moors to the government that the practice would be halted, with 11 moors that had pledged to stop being discovered continuing.

On one occasion more than 200 hectares of rare blanket bog was damaged by a major blaze sparked on Meltham Moor when planned burning spiralled out of control.Subsequently, the Committee on Climate Change, which advises the government on environmental action, recommended the practice be banned to protect peatlands from further damage.Sheffield City Council was approached for a comment.

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