| Description |
Overview of activities and development of my fellowship
In my fellowship proposal I aimed to collaborate with a range of peatland researchers to translate the research findings from a number of peatland researchers and their research projects into formats to inform peatland policy, plans and practice in Wales. I also proposed a series of knowledge exchange events to bring these peatland scientists to events in Wales to directly benefit Welsh peatland evidence end-users. I also proposed for me to visit the researchers in their institutions to provide the opportunity for me to better understood their research in order that I might be able to deliver more impactful research translation.
Covid significantly impacted these plans both with respect to my being able to undertake these proposed activities, but also in that Covid impacted the progression and completion of the research work on which my fellowship was dependent.
In response, as a result of conversations with peatland evidence-end users across Wales their peatland evidence priorities at the start of my fellowship, I have developed a coherent programme of research translation, that includes researchers from my original proposal. It also includes new evidence end-user priorities including new research translation and synthesis needs and the development of new research opportunities, collaborations and initiatives as an outcome of my fellowship.
My fellowship was due to end in September 2022 but I requested a no-cost extension until the end of May 2023, with a further a further one-month no-cost extension request until 30 June 2023 submitted.
I have separated different work elements within my fellowship into nine work packages that are detailed below.
1. Richard Reeve, University of Glasgow
Changes in peatland vegetation communities as a result of management and the direct, and indirect, impacts of climate change
Projects:
• The interplay of land-use, climate and plant biodiversity on the UK stage (Landscape Decisions; NE/T004193/1
• Simulating UK plant biodiversity under climate change to aid landscape decision making (Landscape Decisions; NE/T010355/1)
Description / activities
I have support and facilitated the inclusion of data and Welsh peatland expertise within Richard's modelling work to investigate the changes in peatland vegetation as a consequence of climate change, other perturbations, and land management. This included introductions and discussions with the national peatland experts at Natural Resources Wales (NRW), including the National Peatland Action Programme team, on peatland drivers of change and also access to national data sets for use in the project's modelling work. I also introduced and facilitated discussions with the NRW manager at Cors Fochno National Nature Reserve, a lowland raised bog in mid Wales where extensive monitoring data have been commissioned and collected by NRW. This site, and data from this site were planned to be used as a focal study site within Richard's project.
I hosted a two-day knowledge exchange event 18-19th May 2022 to Cors Fochno with Richard and three of his project team from Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland and the Natural History Museum London as well as staff from Natural Resources Wales. This included a day out on Cors Fochno for the team to experience and discuss the functioning, vegetation and management of the bog and a day discussing data availability and data access and priority outcomes for the project.
Outcomes:
• Data and understanding on peatland systems from Welsh peatlands being adopted within Richard project to provide outputs of direct relevance to Wales. This work will help provide NRW with evidence and understanding of the impact of climate change on plant community changes that will help inform future peatland management plans and targets.
• Build a strong collaborative relationship between the University of Glasgow, Swansea University and Natural Resources Wales.
Outputs
• Translation of the research outputs from Richard's projects, when available
• Development of further opportunities to develop collaborative research proposals.
2. The relationship between trees and peatlands
During Covid restrictions, I made use of desk space in the 'forestry hub' in my local town, Machynlleth in mid Wales. A range of local and national woodland interest NGOs and groups work out of this shared office space. This provided me with the opportunity to learn and understand these organisation's aims, ambitions, plans and also their understanding of peatland systems. At that time, new policy in Wales for woodland creation and ambitious planting targets and funding of a new peatland action programme to lead delivery of peatland restoration targets to meet Climate Change Committee peatland Net Zero recommendations brought ambiguity and some tension as to the right (best) solution in the right place. One area were there was particular ambiguity and a lack of understanding was on shallow peatlands. In Wales peat; lands are defined where peat thickness is above 40 cm. Below this depth, shallow peat, and peaty soils, are neither recognised as peatlands with a map of these shallow peatland not available in the public domain. While there is a general presumption against planting native and commercial conifers on deep peat, the same is not true for areas of shallow peat. That said, native trees are also a natural feature of the margins, and naturally drier areas of healthy peatland systems, but through human activities are now largely absent from our peatland system - therefore potentially representing an opportunity for woodland creation. As such there was urgent need to provide some evidence-based clarity for woodland and peatland community on the relationship between trees and peatlands.
Description / activities
I am working to review available literature on the relationship between trees and peatlands in Wales through a rapid evidence review and synthesis of the evidence-base from the UK including the impact of the restoration of peatlands post-felling of commercial forestry plantations.
Outcomes:
• A shared understanding across all peatland and woodland interest organisations and groups on the relationship between trees and peatlands and the importance of shallow peatlands (that are at particular risk of development). This will help operationalise policies related to climate change mitigation as well as supporting practitioners in understanding the implications of land management plans and activities.
Outputs:
• The output will be a briefing note on the relationship of trees and peatlands, a summary of the state of knowledge of the impact of peatland restoration of commercial forestry sites and a data base of scientific literature on this subject.
3. Afforested Peatland Research Project
Building on my review of the evidence base on the relationship between trees and peatlands including the restoration of commercially afforested peatlands (#2) plus an existing collaboration between Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council and Swansea University on the 'Lost Peatlands of South Wales Project that is delivering afforested peatland restoration on the Rhigos Mountains in South Wales, I developed a successful research proposal to Vattenfall. Vattenfall is a Swedish Governemnt owned renewable energy company that developed and runs the Pen y Cymoedd (Heads of the Valley) windfarm on the afforested peatlands within the Welsh Government Woodland Estate also on the Rhigos Mountains. As part of the planning condition for the development of this windfarm Vattenfall have funded afforested peatland restoration works across 1,500 ha of peatland, with Natural Resources Wales managing this work. The research work would evidence the impact of commercial forestry and the impact that felling and restoration works has on the hydrological functioning of peatlands, its condition status and provision of benefits to society.
Description / activities
I led the development and am PI on the successful research proposal in collaboration with Professor Bernd Kulessa, a Geophysicist at Swansea University and Professor Cindy Froyd, a Paleo-Ecologist at Swansea University. For this three-year project we have recruited a PhD student and are using novel, non-invasive, geophysical survey techniques to measure sub-surface features and water movements to measure hydrological functioning.
Outcomes
• The proposal has led to a three year research project that will provide priority evidence and understanding of the hydrological impacts of commercial forestry on blanket peatland systems and the efficacy of current peatland restoration techniques on their potential recovery.
• This proposal has led to the development of a working research relationship between Swansea University and Vattenfall that hopefully will continue int the future and result in a longer, and broader, programme of research.
• Opportunity to establish an 'afforested peatland' research platform site in Wales
Outputs:
• Successful 'afforested peatland' research funding proposal.
• Future: Successful PhD studentship and research outputs that will have both policy and practical impact
• Development of future research proposals
4. Professor Roxane Anderson, University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI)
Afforested peatland restoration, peatland resilience & recovery from wildfire
Projects:
• How does land management influence fire resilience and carbon fate in blanket bogs? (Urgent Grant; NE/T006528/1)
• Developing a new understanding of blanket bog resilience - from molecules to landscapes (Leverhulme Research Leadership Award)
Roxane was on maternity leave at the time when knowledge exchange visits were possible. Instead, I collaborated with Dr Chris Marshall at UHI, who collaborates with and was deputising for Roxane, and their PhD student Rob Hughes, who is also a scientist with RSPB Scotland.
Description / activities
I hosted Chris and Rob on an extended - week long - knowledge exchange visit in Wales October 2022.
I was supporting the IUCN UK Peatland Programme to develop the programme for their annual conference that was being held at Aberystwyth University in Wales on the 4-6th October 2022. I had recommended that both Rob and Chris could present their research on the subjects of commercially afforested peatland science and restoration and also the use of surface motion monitoring of peatlands via remote sensing to evidence peatland condition following restoration. Chris and Rob both attended and presented at the conference.
They also attended a one-day knowledge exchange event on the 7th October 2022 in Rhigos Mountains within the afforested peatland of the Welsh Government woodland estate and Pen y Cymoedd (PyC) windfarm. The event was co-organised by myself, Vattenfall, NRW and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council and attended by representatives from the same organisations. It was held in Vattenfall's site office at PyC with a tour around forestry and restoration operations in the morning and round table discussions in the afternoon. Sixteen people attended in total (not all were able to go out onto the peatlands in the morning). Chris and Rob brought valuable learning, discussion and expertise from afforested peatland restoration and science in Scotland where they are 5-10 years ahead of Wales in terms of afforested peatland restoration experience and science, where afforested peatland restoration is really just getting going but is a priority and extensive issue.
Chris and Rob additionally attended a third, one-day, knowledge exchange event on the 10th October 2022 in Brecon. I organised this event in conjunction with the Brecon Beacons National Park. It focused on monitoring peatland condition via surface motion of the peat via remote sensing, Chris has collaborated with Dr David Large at the University of Nottingham on this research work who also attended and contributed to this event. I provide more details on this event below (#5).
In October I was able to visit Roxane, Chris and Rob through attendance of the Flow Country Research Conference that ran 26-28th October 2022 in Thurso, Scotland. This event was organised and hosted by Chris and Roxane. It provided me an invaluable learning opportunity about not just their research work, but also their colleagues and students and provided a head-up on emerging research plans and developments and to visit the Flow Country.
I also attended a pre-conference workshop event in Thurso on the 25th October 2022 run by David Large. This was entitled "From satellite-derived surface motion to peatland condition: advances, validation and application" and funded through the Landscape decisions Programme.
Outcomes:
• Chris and Roxane have led much of the research into the impact and efficacy of afforested peatland research in Scotland and so I am collaborating with them on my review of the evidence base on afforested peatland restoration (see #2).
• The presence and presentations from Chris and Rob at the IUCN UK Peatland Programme Conference in Wales brought representation from the Scottish research community to the event as well as provided Chris and Rob the opportunity to present their peatland research findings to this UK wide audience, but importantly to Welsh peatland audience that included Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales.
• Chris and Rob's attendance at the 'afforested peatland' KE event provided value insight from the Scottish research and restoration experience that informed discussions on the day, and also initiated future planned discussions including around afforested peatland restoration targets in South Wales.
• My attendance of the Flow Country Research Conference provided me an invaluable learning opportunity about not just on Roxane, Chris and Rob's research work. It also enabled me, for the first time in 17 years working in UK peatland science, the opportunity to visit the peatlands of the Flow Country, including the restored previously afforested peatland areas.
• My attending the 'InSAR' workshop organised by David Large provided detailed understanding of this technology and solution for me to better translate and work to apply this solution in Wales.
Outputs:
• Draft research translation of the body of peatland surface motion research
• Development of a proposal, plan and hopefully initiation of InSAR monitoring initiative across Wales involving a range of Welsh peatland evidence end-users / stakeholder organisations (see below for further details (#5).
5. Professor David Large, University of Nottingham
Use of remote sensing to monitor peatland condition and provision of benefits to society
Projects:
• InSAR as a tool to evaluate peatland sensitivity to global change (Soil Security; NE/P014100/1)
• Developing a statistical methodology for the assessment and management of peatland (Landscape Decisions; NE/T010118/1)
Description / activities
I hosted David (Chris and Rob) on the 10th October 2022 in Brecon within the Brecon Beacons National Park for a knowledge exchange event focused on their research and development work into the use of InSAR for measuring the surface motion of peatlands and evidencing a range of outcomes. Thirteen people attended this event representing the Brecon Beacons National Park, Snowdonia National Park, National Trust Wales, Welsh Water, RSPB Wales and Swansea University (Victoria Jenkins; see #6).
David and Chris provided a detailed overview of their research work, and solutions they have developed.
The message communicated from the organisations in attendance was that while they each urgently have identified they need to adopt a remote sensing solution to monitor 'their' peatlands, the range and rapidly evolving, and emerging new, technologies and solutions result in them unable to decide on a solution, or are concerned they may select the 'wrong' solution, or that solution maybe not be compatible or joined-up at the larger scale. What was identified that, as a priority, to establish whether their existing terrestrial measurement (monitoring) methods and data was 'future-proofed' for validation of a potential remote sensing solution available now, and also for future solutions. At a time of joint climate and biodiversity crises, understand the current condition states and future changes across peatland is a priority for them and lack of a remote sensing solution represent a significant gap and problem for these organisations..
Brecon Beacons National Park proposed led on suggesting the need to select and adopt one solution for an initial 5-year period then review. Collaboration between organisations on a solution would provide a range of benefits including a consistent evidence base across Welsh peatlands, a network of support from partner organisations and, of course, economies of scale in the purchase of data and analyses - so, cumulatively potentially with just the major peatland organisations funding solutions for their peatlands of interest could cover costs for all peatlands in Wales. It was proposed that we develop a proposal to work with David and Chris to adopt their approach and solution in Wales.
Outcomes
• The outcome of the event was for the Welsh peatland organisations to work to collaborate on a single remote-sensing solution to monitor Welsh peatlands, and to develop a shared proposal that would be shared with other peatland organisations in Wales, including NRW and Welsh Government. If successful this would provide an invaluable demonstration of this technology to a range of Welsh peatland organisations (major owners and managers) and as a national peatland remote sensing solution for Wales to both NRW and WG.
Outputs:
• As part of my fellowship, I am leading and facilitating the development of this proposal for this community. Initially we are working to set up a trial across a network of Welsh peatland sites owned and managed by the partner organisations to provide validation of the technique in Wales.
• Additionally, in conjunction with this outcome I am working to develop a proposal with the same Welsh peatland organisations, to develop a network of peatland research platform site (or observatories) that cover the priority peatland typologies. This would provide focus to peatland research, and significant opportunity for peatland research, and research collaboration across Wales. It is hoped this would potentially provide a basis for a national peatland remote sensing solution for Wales.
[Towards delivery of this output I am working to establish my Vattenfall funded research project site on the Rhigos Mountains as an afforested peatland research platform site for use by the wider scientific community].
6. Associate Professor Victoria Jenkins, Swansea University
Peatland protection in Welsh law and policy
Victoria is an Associate Professor in the School of law at Swansea University and an environmental law academic with expertise in planning law. I met Victoria at a sandpit event in March 2019 in Cardiff exploring landscape scale socio-ecological resilience in Wales. Victoria became interested in peatlands and as a result, within my fellowship, I have collaborated on a number of initiatives and project since; including Victoria's own successful application for a Policy Interface Landscape Decisions Programme Fellowship, entitled 'Integrating Evidence on the Benefits of Peatlands into Local Policy and Decision Making'.
Description / activities
Victoria and I are among the first UK researchers to address legal protection of peatlands. Through my fellowship I have collaborated with Victoria on writing peer-reviewed article on legal protection of peatlands in Wales, on research fund applications (Treescapes - un-fundedl) and most recently on delivery of a review of windfarm developments on peatlands in Wales for Natural Resources Wales (see #7).
Outcomes
• My fellowship has provided the opportunity for Victoria and I to collaborate on (at least four) initiatives since meeting in 2019 bringing peatland science and environmental law expertise together to address a number of priority peatland protection and sustainable management topics in Wales with policy and practice impact.
Outputs:
• Jenkins, V & Walker, JS (2022) Maintaining, Enhancing and Restoring the Peatlands of Wales: Unearthing the Challenges of Law and Sustainable Land Management. J. Env. Law.
• For the NRW windfarm on peatlands review project we will produce a review of relevant legal and policy frameworks. Further outcomes and outputs associated with this project are detailed below (see #7);
7. Natural Resources Wales: Windfarms on Peatlands Review
I am working in collaboration with Victoria Jenkins (see #6), a professional ecologist and consultant ecohydrologist are delivering a review the current guidance, evidence-base and assessment method for the development of windfarms on peatlands for work Natural Resources Wales to. This work was competitively awarded; however, Victoria and I, through our fellowships, were able to contribute additional time and resources as this work as the outcomes were of relevance and value to both our fellowships. This work will complete in May 2023.
Description / activities
In this project I am working with NRW to review the evidence base and current guidance on windfarm developments on peatlands in Wales. This requires engagement and communications with a range of actors with interest in the development o windfarms in Wales, including Renewables UK.
Outcomes
• This is a very significant piece of work that will have real impact in Wales both for peatland protection and also for provision of renewable energy in Wales. It provides direct impact as one outcome is the production of update guidance for NRW's website.
Outputs (in production):
• Introduction to peatlands targeted at developers and planners making decisions on windfarm applications.
• Review of relevant legal and policy frameworks.
• Rapid review of current best practice guidance.
• Rapid review of evidence-base of impacts of windfarm developments on peatlands and assessment guidance for windfarm developments on peatlands in Wales.
• Assessment guidance for potential windfarm developments on peatlands for NRW's website
8. Professor Martin Evans, University of Manchester
Peatland management and flood risk reduction
Project:
• Optimising NFM in headwater catchments to protect downstream communities (Evans, Holden, Milledge; Directed (Research Programmes, Natural Flood Management; NE/R004560/1)
• Towards a microbial process-based understanding of the resilience of UK peatland systems (UK Climate Resilience; NE/S016724/1)
Description / activities
We are planning to hold a two-day knowledge exchange event in May 2023 to bring the learning an expertise from the NERC Protect project and team to south Wales where peatland management would have the most significant impact on communities at risk of flooding in Wales. A second day will allow a site visit to discuss a different peatland condition state (afforested peatlands) and restoration process from the one addressed in the Protect project (bare and eroding peatlands). This will provide valuable discussion and ideas on the inclusion of flood risk reduction as a restoration outcome and also the opportunity to develop potential future research collaborations and projects.
Outcomes
• Exchange of the knowledge, experience and expertise from the NERC Protect project team to peatland policy makers, managers as well as those with flood risk reduction roles and interests to inform peatland management and research / evidence needs.
• Opportunity for future collaboration with the NERC Protect team on peatland restoration plans and monitoring informed by discussions at the event, and arising after the event.
Outputs (in production):
• Research translation of NERC Protect project and microbial process-based understanding of peatlands projects led by Martin
• Potential collaboration on research proposal(s)
9. Mosquitoes and peatland management
During lockdown, conversation with Natural Resources Wales about their priority peatland evidence needs identified a need to understand the impacts of lowland raised bog restoration on mosquitoes as a community local to their flagship, EU LIFE funded, Welsh Raised Bog LIFE Project, had raised concerns that 'rewetting' the bog that their houses was next to might make their mosquito 'problem' worse.
I decided to pick up this evidence need in my fellowship and aimed to provide NRW and the local community with a shared understanding of the relationship between mosquitoes and peatlands, and evidence on the mosquito assemblage on and around the peatlands and community to inform discussion between them and inform peatland management plans and solutions. I am not aware of any research to date that has addressed this particular issue and this topic addressed an under represented area of peatland research - the health and wellbeing outcomes associated with peatland habitats, their condition and their management.
Description / activities
I collaborated with three mosquito experts: Dr. Jolyon Medlock, Head of Medical Entomology & Zoonoses Ecology UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Alex Vaux, Senior Medical Entomologist at the UK Health Security Agency and Dr. Tariq Butt, Professor of Biocontrol and Natural Products at Swansea University. Jolyon and Alex were part of the Wetland LIFE project: Managing mosquitoes and the socio-ecological value of wetlands for wellbeing (Valuing Nature Programme; NE/NO13379/1).
We designed a survey method for mosquito larvae to identifying breeding habitats and the UKHSA and WetlandLIFE project loaned adult mosquito traps to sample adult mosquitoes bot around the community and out on the bog. Natural Resources Wales project staff ran the adult traps for 3-day campaigns every two weeks between April-September 2021, and, with my support, undertook fortnightly larvae sampling for the same period. I am analysing the data and writing up the results with additional resources provided by NRW.
Outcomes
• Understanding of the relationship between mosquitoes and peatlands for a general Welsh audience.
• Evidence report on the research findings of mosquito surveys on mosquito use of a peatland (bog) that Natural Resources Wales can use to address public concerns about the impact of lowland peatland restoration work on mosquitoes.
• Future collaborations on this topic.
Outputs:
• Summary of knowledge on the relationship between mosquitoes and peatlands in the UK for both NRW and the community (public)
• Survey method statement to evidence breeding habitat and adult mosquito activity on the bog and in and around the local community
• Research report based on findings.
• Potential future research proposals |
