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Growers, NGOs, environmentalists and the public stand together urging the government to act to stop the destruction of peatlands
More than 16,700 people have signed a petition calling on the UK Government to put an end to peat sales. A huge thank you to everyone who added their voice – including growers, environmentalists, supporters, NGOs and many more.
The destruction of peatlands destroys wildlife, impacts water quality and releases carbon into the air – and it’s got to stop. That’s why we were at Downing Street, as part of the Peat-free Partnership on Wednesday 25 February, calling for legislation.
Petitioners were also joined by a Bog Creature, showing Londoners how important it is to protect peatlands and the species that live there!
We have hand delivered a petition to the Prime Minister’s doorstep calling for legislation to end peat sales to be introduced in 2026.
Until legislation is in place, peatlands will continue to be destroyed. Around 760,000 cubic metres of peat are used by the horticultural industry every year – enough to fill more than 300 Olympic sized swimming pools.
In October 2025, the UK Government announced plans to end peat sales in the Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan. This was a positive step forward; we need to ensure this is put into law.
Alongside our partners in the Peat-free Partnership, we’re calling on the government to commit to a date and introduce legislation in 2026.
The petition is not only one of the largest public calls for peat legislation, but also a demonstration of environmentalists, growers and businesses coming together.
With the Peat-free Partnership, we were joined by the Wildlife Trusts, the Royal Horticultural Society, organic veg box supplier Riverford, Professor Dave Goulson from Sussex University and horticulture organisation Garden Organic.
And you can’t forget…the Bog Creature. Heads turned in London as an eye-catching representation of peatlands emerged from its natural home, highlighting the devastating impact of commercial peat extraction.
Vast quantities of peat from bogs in the UK, Ireland and the Baltic states are used every year in horticulture – causing damage to wildlife, the climate and nature recovery.
A ban on all commercial trade in peat is needed to provide:
Read more here.
We want to say thank you to everyone who has already given their voice to the campaign to end peat sales. The petition is still open if you would like to add your voice. Or if you would like to help further, please do email your MP asking them to write to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) about this issue.
Or if you’d like to learn more about the campaign, please visit Peat-free Partnership.
The Bog Creature in London
Petitioners handing 16,700 signatures into Downing Street. From left to right – The Wildlife Trusts’ Head of Public Affairs Matt Browne, the Royal Horticultural Society’s Director General Clare Matterson, the Peat-free Partnership’s Sally Nex, Professor Dave Goulson from the University of Sussex and Founder of Riverford Organic Guy Singh-Watson
The Bog Creature and campaigners outside the Downing Street gates
The Peat-free Partnership is funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and hosted by the wild plant conservation charity Plantlife. It is a broad coalition bringing together horticultural businesses and organisations alongside environmental NGOs across the UK with the overarching goal of ending the sale and supply of peat for horticulture in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The Partnership works with a range of horticulture sector businesses wanting to see swift progress towards legislation to end peat sales, from small nurseries to large wholesalers, retailers, market gardeners and compost manufacturers. Other partners include the RHS, The Wildlife Trusts, Garden Organic, the National Trust and National Trust for Scotland, and many others.
Extraction of peat for gardening and horticulture continues to damage wildlife and our climate, despite government commitments to phase it out.
This blanket bog is one of the most extensive peatlands left in Europe and has recently been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as part of the Flow Country.
Hosted by Plantlife, the Peat-free Partnership is a coalition of horticultural businesses and eNGOs calling for an end to commercial peat trade across the UK.
From bumblebees to birds and fungi to flies, meadows are micro-cities of wildlife.
Wildflower meadows, a staple of the British countryside, are a buzz of activity, especially in the spring and summer. It’s not just the wildflowers and fungi that rely on their diverse vegetation, in fact, a range of wildlife can call these habitats home. By growing a meadow, you can also create a home or hunting ground for bees, butterflies, invertebrates, birds, mammals and reptiles.
Here are some of the animals you might spot in a meadow:
Our friends at Buglife can tell you more
Buzz over to the Bumblebee Trust here.
Flutter over to Butterfly Conservation for a bit more
Fly over to the RSPB for a bit more
Meander over to the Mammal Society to find out more
Slither over to Amphibian and Reptile Conservation to find out more
Lisa Gardner, Plantlife’s Artist in Residence, shares her summer journey across some of our magical Plantlife reserves, the rare species she discovered and some top tips for aspiring botanical artists.
I always thought that I was someone who immersed themselves in nature. The entire ethos of my work is inspired by the natural world; it’s the seeds that allow my paintings to grow. However, my life-changing trip this summer exploring IPA sites across the UK has opened my eyes. It’s shown me what truly settling into stillness and absorbing the magic of nature really is.
As part of my Artist Residency for Plantlife – and supported by Arts Council England’s Developing your Creative Practice Fund – I set off on a wildflower treasure hunt back in May to uncover rare species; many of which are currently living on the edge.
I have always been fascinated by the juxtaposition of a wildflower, how its strength can rise through rubble and yet its fragility can break at the lightest of touches. A wildflower experiences birth, growth, transformation and decay, often in a thimble of time. It shows courage, hope, resilience, a contentment that is enviable.
Being amongst wildflowers I feel joy, strength, grief and an easeful glimmer of peace. With every wildflower season, I am able to experience this cycle of emotions. I am my raw, honest self, no hiding, nature welcomes you as you are, inviting you to be part of the purposeful chaos. My art helps me grow down through my layers and expand my roots.
My journey started at Ranscombe Farm Nature Reserve in Kent. And what a start to the trip! I pulled up in the smallest of car parks where I was met by Ben, the site manager. He was excited to show me the incredibly rare Man Orchid: a handful of this endangered species had decided to make a verge on the side of a busy road their home.
If he hadn’t pointed them out, I would have walked straight past – but the moment you notice them, you cannot look away. Milky lime yellow with stripes of burgundy and tongues like snakes; they were utterly divine.
The juxtaposition of this rare, beautiful flower with the frantic hum of traffic continuously passing by felt like a metaphor for human nature. How much do we miss out on because we’re simply too busy?
My visit up to Scotland was the biggest part of my trip. The colours here were like a symphony; vibrant pops against a rugged landscape. Shades of storm grey into an icy blue, merging into crystalline greens. Soft lavender and silver ribbons. All these colours merged together against the textures of the flagstone rocks and the wildlife that burst from them.
And you had to work to find the rare species among this incredible palette! At one point, I had to lean right over a cliffside to spot the tiniest deep pink Scottish Primrose; it was so small and fragile – around 5cm tall – that you had to seriously tune your eye in to find it.
But I was so glad I made the effort. The Scottish Primrose can only be found in Orkney and the northern coast of Scotland. If it disappears from these sites, it’s gone forever. Our discovery, therefore, felt enormously poignant.
The peat-rich Flow Country, which our Munsary Peatlands are part of, has been given the same standing as the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon.
Find out what it's like to volunteer at one of our nature reserves. Jim Whiteford describes a day working outdoors, protecting and restoring nature in Deep Dale, Derbyshire.
Learn about why our Munsary Peatlands reserve is being put forward for inscription as the world’s first peatland UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Plantlife and NPMS staff tested 10 popular plant identifying apps out on the field and picked 3 of the best for you to take out on your next wildflower hunt.
These days it seems there is an app for everything, including finding out what creature critter or plant you are looking at. But are they useful? Are they accurate?
We tested 10 popular apps out on the field to put them through their paces, and picked 3 of our favourites. We looked at ease of use, accuracy, costs involved and what additional features they have.
If you prefer browsing the web, visit our Plants and Fungi page here to learn more about the amazing species you can find in the UK.
Our favourite app from the ones tested, this is free to download with no intrusive adverts or other costs involved.
The aim of the Flora Incognita research project is mapping plants, therefore they record and use the location of where the plants are found.
That means using this app is not only beneficial to your learning, but also makes an important contribution to biodiviersity monitoring and research.
This app combines traditional plant identification with the latest methods of AI. To identify, simply click on the plus symbol which takes you through your options.
Ease of use 5/5Identification skills 4/5Range of features 4/5
Download
Claiming to be ‘the botanist in your pocket’, this app uses advanced artificial intelligence and was accurate for a wide range of species, from Sea Thrift to trickier species such as Mouse-ear Hawkweed.
Advertised as £24.99 a year, you can use the app indefinitely to identify plants without paying: when you open the app you come to a pre-home screen where you click cancel.
Other benefits include the app’s ability to identify common grasses, sedges and fungi – but we recommend some caution with these due to the cryptic nature of IDing these species. Picture This also has common questions and answers for each plant, along with stories and other interesting facts such as flowering times.
iNaturalist was created with the aims of recording your observations and sharing them with the ability to crowdsource identifications. The app is free and has a range of handy features that make uploading a breeze, including an automatic location based on the photos’ GPS tag, and the ability to record other wildlife such as insects and birds.
We found the app very accurate to a plant’s genus, a group of similar species, and sometimes even down to the specific species when multiple photos are added. This makes it the perfect tool for you to take your plant ID knowledge further with a field guide.
Seek is a simpler version of iNaturalist with an easier interface for the family. We found Seek had less accuracy in the field, so if you’re looking for something more thorough, we recommend downloading iNaturalist.
Ease of use 5/5Identification skill 5/5Range of features 4/5
Join us as we take a look back at what went right for nature in 2025.
The beautiful mountain plant, Rosy Saxifrage, has returned to the wild in Wales after becoming extinct in 1962.
Discover the gnarled woodlands on the wildest peaks in Wales, as Robbie Blackhall-Miles reveals the secrets of Eryri’s miniature but magical Juniper forests.
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