sarah johnson

We’re using innovative solutions to improve the condition of farmed lowland peat. 🌱 Last week, Minister Trudy Harrison visited Rindle Moss, a @Lancswildlife site in Greater Manchester. It is one of the first British trials of #paludiculture, farming on rewetted peat soil.

🧵7/7 If we revert to an agric system where people get given taxpayer's money on basis of how much land they own, then one of the few potential environmental benefits of #Brexit will have been squandered It will be unfair & unsustainable We will be fighting this tooth & nail

🧵6/7 The narrative about 'huge amounts of land' being handed over to nature is nonsense. If only, but it's a lie. In contrast, the land used to grow biofuels for road transport in the UK could be used to grow crops that would feed 3.5 million people. edie.net/green-alliance…

🧵5/7 While there's been a lot of attention on poo in our rivers recently, and rightly so, the greatest source of #pollution in our rivers is agriculture Paying taxpayers money to farmers without requiring environmental improvements will make this worse theguardian.com/environment/20…

4/7 Truth is, largest landowners have most to lose from removal of area-based payments (half the agric budget goes to biggest 10% of landowners) Small farmers have most to gain from Environmental Land Management schemes Farming lobby groups are dominated by large landowners

🧵3/7 There is no such thing as #FoodSecurity if our soils are knackered and being washed away, our pollinators are in decline, and our crops facing heat & water stress We @WildlifeTrusts run 26 working farms, so we do know a thing or two about this.. wildlifetrusts.org/farming

🧵2/7 Their argument is to 'concentrate' on food production, rather than sustainability (exactly what EU CAP did) And yet, a 2021 @DefraGovUK report concluded that biggest threats to our #FoodSecurity come from the #climate and #nature crisis Go figure gov.uk/government/col…

🧵1/7 - THE UTTER MADNESS OF THIS After 50yrs of 'area-based payments' under EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), there are some concerns about #FoodSecurity The Liz Truss govt seems to be saying that the answer is to carry on with area-based payments?! theguardian.com/environment/20…

My Washington Post subscription allows me to share access to great journalism. Check out this gift article, at no cost to you. Read here: wapo.st/3pTw62G

Rumours just reaching me of further damage to a peatland Local Wildlife Site near Darwen; driven by apparent need to intensify agricultural production on this "marginal" land. Public payments for public goods can't come too soon for sites like this. wcl.org.uk/three-basic-di…

⭐️ We’ve won a GOLD medal at #RHSChelsea for our peatland display with @EdenProject encouraging gardeners to switch to #peatfree Absolutely delighted. Thank you to our entire team. And thank you to @NECumbria for the ‘borrowed’ slice of bog 🌎

Yesterday the theory, today boots on the peaty ground. Sunny (!) visit to our pilot site Cloncrow Bog where our partners work hard on recovery, research and local support

@CarePeat, the movie 📽️ Starring this week: our carbon farm, pioneering project looking to find alternative land management methods for farmed peatlands. Both climate friendly & economically viable 🚜🌍 Shout out to @Lancswildlife @ManMetUni @beadamoss youtube.com/watch?v=Gi-E5K…

Over 35 key #conservation groups inc @WildlifeTrusts @nationaltrust & high-profile individuals inc @DaveGoulson @isabella_tree have signed this statement urging the #UKGov to ban the retail sale of peat in #horticulture: peatfree.org.uk Want to sign? Email me. #Nature

Earthworms are more important than pandas - a blog by @Sa_rahJohnson from 2017 bit.ly/2pIvTAP #FlashbackFriday

Today the English and Welsh Governments announce a consultation on ending the sale of peat to amateur gardeners. But much more must be done in order to protect our precious peatlands 👇 👇 wildlifetrusts.org/news/governmen…

@NorthWildlife Really sorry to see this

Shocking behaviour at Northumberland Wildlife Trust HQ in Gosforth today. A break-in last night meant poor staff were met with this terrible discovery this morning and have been left with a huge clear-up job today. Mike Pratt, NWT CEO @ Peter Ernst