Controversy over moorland set on fire during COP26

Twenty fires were lit on the Bingley Moor Estate on Monday and Tuesday to provide younger, more nutritious heather to be eaten by grouse reared for shooting, according to Wild Moors, an upland restoration organisation.

 The organisation is concerned about the effect that heather burning could have on the environment and how it could impact climate change, but the landowner says that heather burning is essential to minimise wildfires and to benefit the environment in the long run.

 Luke Steele, Executive Director of Wild Moors, said: “Whether you are for or against grouse shooting, it is difficult to ignore that setting fire to carbon-rich peatlands whilst the UK is hosting a major global climate conference is not a good image for our country, region, or environment.

 “If we are to tackle the climate crisis, we must face the facts: burning moors harms fragile peatland ecosystems, releases climate-altering gasses into the atmosphere, worsens flooding in communities downstream, and exacerbates wildfire risk by converting wetlands into highly-flammable tinderboxes.”

 The land is owned by the Bingley Moor Partnership. 

 Simon Nelson, head gamekeeper of Bingley Moor Partnership said: “Heather is burnt for bio-diversity and to stop wildfires, that’s why the moor’s burnt. It’s done in a completely controlled fashion and is done in small strips as fire breaks. It’s best for the countryside in the long run. People see fire on the moors and assume the worst.”

When the Moorland Association, who do not represent either party, were asked to comment, a spokesperson said:

“Controlled burning of vegetation on moorland is a vital conservation tool which removes the long, woody heather tops but does not affect the underlying peat.

“It is highly regulated and permitted between October and April and is undertaken to rejuvenate heather-rich moorland, providing fresh growth for sheep and deer and varied habitat for upland bird species. 

“Controlled burning is also essential to help prevent and reduce the severity of uncontrolled summer wildfires which are the primary threat to the nature conservation and carbon sequestration benefits provided by moorland.

"Less than three percent of annual emissions from peatlands in England are caused by prescribed burning. Recent scientific evidence shows that an area that has been appropriately burnt benefits peat-forming species and improves carbon capture.”

 However, in response to the burning, Bradford Council has backed an end to heather burning to save the region’s peat moors from being damaged for grouse shooting.

 In a letter sent to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe asked the Government to reconsider their position on burning heather “given the seriousness of global warming and our efforts to improve air quality in Bradford”.

The government introduced a partial ban on the practice in May but Bingley Moor is exempt as it is located on degraded shallow peat, not blanket bog.

There was also complaints that the fires resulted in severe smoke pollution in the Aire Valley and Wharfedale.