Much of our lowland peat is currently used for intensive agriculture, which can be highly profitable. It covers less than 4% of England's farmed area but produces more than 7% of England's total agricultural production and is worth £1.23 billion to the UK economy. In the case of some peatlands, full restoration may not be practical or in the public interest, but at the very least, these sites must be better managed if we are to halt further degradation. Lower opportunity costs make immediate restoration more feasible in upland settings, although the economic importance of timber production, grouse moors and grazing also need to be considered. Peatlands provide a wealth of environmental benefits that we have only recently begun to value, alongside a number of economic and recreational uses. Peatlands: Capture carbon from the atmosphere and then store it as plants only partially decompose under wet conditions. Conversely, degrading peatlands release carbon into the atmosphere. It is estimated that peatlands in England emit approximately 10 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent per year.7.8 Healthy peatlands have a net cooling effect on the climate, contributing to the government's target to achieve Net Zero by 2050. Are rich in wildlife. Peatland habitats contain some of our rarest species including bitterns, swallowtail butterfly, carnivorous sundews, hen harriers and short-eared owls. Nearly a third of our deep peat is protected as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. However, only 13% of our deep peat area remains in a near natural state and, as a result, our peatland habitats have become increasingly rare, threatening the plants and animals that are dependent on them. Provide a sustainable supply of high-quality drinking water. The Office for National Statistics estimates the annual value of the water supply from UK peatlands at between £208 million and £888 million. 9.10 However, over the last 30 years the quality of water has been deteriorating as degraded peatland releases dissolved organic carbon into the water, causing discolouration. ¹¹ Removal of colour from water represents one of the major operational costs of any treatment plant and can run into millions of pounds per annum. ¹2 5 Lindsay, R., Ifo, A., Cole, L., Mont