Protecting the deep peat in the upper Calder valley

• Orange areas: deep peat within areas of protection where burning is generally not allowed without a licence
• Lightly shaded grey areas: shallow peaty soil (not protected under the new regulations)
• Yellow areas: deep peat outside of areas of protection (not protected under the new regulations)

Many parts of the moorlands above the Calder Valley now fall under the The Heather and Grass etc Burning (England) Regulations 2021. This prohibits moorland burning in uplands where there is deep peat (above 40cm), as long as it is also within a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) that is a Special Protection Area or a Special Area of Conservation.

There are some exceptions to these rules and landowners can also apply for a licence to burn under specific circumstances.  Read the full guidance . When licenses are granted, a note of the licence will be added to a public register, which will be available online - we will add the link here when this becomes available.

Controlled burning can take place in areas not covered by the regulations, but needs to  follow guidance  and can only take place during the burning season.

If you believe an illegal burn has taken place you can report it directly to Natural England’s Enforcement Team (England by calling 0300 060 3900 or email  enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk ).

Please note that while this map has been created from government data it is not an official map and should only be used as a general guide. The deep peat information is indicative only and may not always be accurate. A new Natural England project is currently re-mapping our peatlands to provide more accurate data.

Peat layer data created by the Partnership Project to Protect and Enhance Peat Soils (aka. The Peat Project) and BGS, Cranfield University (NSRI) and OS