Lowland peat in Gordano Valley and North Somerset Levels and Moors
The peaty soils in the Gordano Valley and on the Tickenham and Nailsea Moors provide a unique opportunity to benefit nature and sequester carbon by protecting and restoring lowland peat through the raising of water levels. The creation of wetland habitat such as lowland fen and carr woodland would be particularly beneficial for nature recovery, but the raising of water levels and, potentially, more innovative solutions such as paludiculture could also help to conserve peat and sequester carbon.
Much of the lowland peat is already protected by a mixture of National Nature Reserve, SSSI and SNCI designations, but not all of it is currently managed sustainably and so is vulnerable to degradation; without appropriate management, the rate of degradation of peat is likely to further increase due to climate change.
In the Gordano Valley, the Raised Water Level System could be extended to cover all of the peaty soils and extend the wetland habitats in the National Nature Reserve, creating a larger area of high value to nature.
A constructed wetland has been highlighted as a potential intervention to reduce pollution from the urban outfall from Nailsea entering the SSSI ditch network in Nailsea and Tickenham Moors.
Priorities for nature recovery
Delivering the priorities for nature recovery is particularly important in the mapped Focus Areas for Nature Recovery. ‘Landscape recovery’ measures, which will have the biggest impact on nature recovery, are particularly relevant in these Focus Areas.
| Measures | Most relevant to | Land type | Indicative level of land-use impact for nature |
| Manage existing wood pasture and parkland to maximise their value to wildlife and ensure continued survival of mature and veteran trees | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Landscape recovery |
| Carry out specialist tree surgery as needed to extend the lives of veteran and ancient trees | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Landscape recovery |
There are more waterbodies that are in good ecological status and support thriving populations of fish and other freshwater wildlife.
| Measures | Most relevant to | Land type | Indicative level of land-use impact for nature |
| Reduce run-off of pollutants from farmland through the use of best practice in applying fertiliser, manure and slurry | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Sustainable farming |
| Establish a buffer strip (which can contain long grasses, trees, and shrubs) of 4-12m on field boundaries or runoff channels. This can reduce nutrient and pollutant runoff into watercourses and provide habitat for wildlife | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Sustainable farming |
| Improve management of manure and slurry to reduce pollution (e.g. roofing manure storage or manure storage pads) | Farmers and landowners | Countryside | Sustainable farming |
Lowland peat in the Gordano Valley and on Tickenham and Nailsea Moors is appropriately managed to store carbon, improve its resilience to climate change, and benefit wildlife.
| Measures | Most relevant to | Land type | Indicative level of land-use impact for nature |
| Raise water levels to conserve peat and create lowland fen habitat, with appropriate management in place to create and maintain a diverse structure. | Farmers and landowners | Lowland peat | Landscape recovery |
| Manage existing wet (carr) woodlands for the benefit of wildlife, including maintaining water levels, creating/maintaining open areas and edge habitat, and retaining dead wood | Farmers and landowners | Lowland peat | Landscape recovery |
| Raise water levels on grassland or cropland on peaty soils to prevent the further degradation of peat | Farmers and landowners | Lowland peat | Sustainable farming |
| Explore the potential for paludiculture (farming on rewetted peat) on peaty soils where full peatland restoration is not supported | Farmers and landowners | Lowland peat | Sustainable farming |
Relevant priority species
- Eel
- Lapwing