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Assessing attitudes towards peatland management scenarios in the Fens of East Anglia. (Farming)

Do you live in East Anglia?

Yes

How long have you been in the farming industry?

0-5 years

5-10 years

10-15 years

15-20 years

20+ years

Are you aware of what peatland is?

Yes

Peatland otherwise known as wetland is a carbon sink formed of partially decayed organic matter (slowed down by water-logged conditions). Overtime this material is compressed and forms a large area of land known as peat, currently covering 3% of global land surfaces.

Was the land you farm on once peatland or still classed as peatland?

Yes

I don't know

Are you aware of the impacts that peatland degradation can have on the environment?

Yes

If your answer was "yes" to the previous question what impacts are you aware of?

Do you believe that the conservation of peatlands is important for the environment?

Yes

Please explain your reasoning for your answer to the previous question.

Do you hold a strong connection with the landscape that surrounds where you live?

Yes

Neither or

Please rank the following in the order of how important they are to you (rank the corresponding letters):

a) Reducing carbon emissions.

b) Improving biodiversity within habitats.

c) Landscape aesthetic.

d) Food security and the agricultural industry.

How strongly do you agree/disagree with the following statement: I would be in favour of restoring peatlands if it meant altering farming practices.

Strongly agree

Somewhat agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Somewhat disagree

Strongly disagree

Please add any comments regarding your answer to the previous question.

How strongly do you agree/disagree with the following statement: The removal of peatland will improve the aesthetic of the landscape.

Strongly agree

Somewhat agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Somewhat disagree

Strongly disagree

Please add any comments regarding your answer to the previous question.

In order to evaluate various peatland management scenarios we need to understand views of the local community, people involved in the agricultural industry and how they affect environmental organisations. Therefore when choosing the strategies we must consider how they influence people and the environment.

Proposed Peatland Management Scenarios:

Restoration Restore heavily degraded areas towards functioning peatland ecosystems. Requires minimal farming practices or developments that involves removing any peatland, aside from cattle grazing to help manage habitats. This may involve frequent, possibly long duration flooding, with near surface water table levels throughout most of the year. Also includes intervention to repair bare peat areas, and re-establish peatland habitat.

Adaptive Management Improve farming practices on peat soil to slow the loss of soil carbon and encourage conversion of ploughed land to grass conversion e.g. Buffer strips, field corner management etc. Develop and introduce wetland agriculture systems in order to maintain higher water levels within the peat soils. Only use sustainably managed peatlands and develop alternative products where the use of peatland is unsustainable.

Sustainable Management Applying land uses and practices that are compatible with healthy peatlands. Protecting and rehabilitating peatlands, so that they function fully does not mean that these areas become off-limits to economic activity. Minimal intervention where no action is required to maintain peatland habitat. Involves local communities to help support any dependencies on unsustainable peatland use. Developing economically viable systems for supporting peatland management:

• providing support for land managers who manage peatland sustainably, ensuring the right level of public funding to overcome any market failures.

• avoiding public money being directed into fiscal regimes that can result in peatland damage.

No Intervention Allow the degradation of peatlands and forgo any intervention strategies to conserve or restore peatland areas. This means agricultural practices can continue without taking the deprivation of peatlands into consideration. Requires no surface inundation and water levels can drop to mean depths of 0.5m throughout the year.

Proposed Peatland Management Scenarios:

• providing support for land managers who manage peatland sustainably, ensuring the right level of public funding to overcome any market failures.

• avoiding public money being directed into fiscal regimes that can result in peatland damage.

Rank the following peatland management strategies in terms of which you would prefer to be implemented most in your local area (type the corresponding letters):

a) Restoration

b) Adaptive Management

c) Sustainable Management

d) No Intervention

Would you be willing to participate in an interview as part of this research? It will take no longer than 5-10 minutes, this can be anonymous or open depending on your preference. If available please leave your name and contact details below.

Thank you very much for taking part in this questionnaire! Please leave any further comments below.

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