THE Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is calling on the government to honour its commitment to end the practice of setting fire to Lancashire's upland peat bogs.
Today marks the start of the burning season, which allows land managers to set fire to areas of moorland in Lancashire, to encourage new heather growth.
However the RSPB has said the majority of the peat bogs are in a poor state and have been damaged by many years of burning.
Pat Thompson, RSPB senior land use policy officer, said: “It’s a quarter of a century since stubble burning on fields was banned in the UK over environmental and safety concerns.
"Now it’s time for burning on our precious upland peat bogs to be similarly consigned to history.
"As the burning season gets underway, we will, along with others, be watching to see if government commitments to stop rotational burning actually result in less burning.
"Our peat bogs are too important for both people and wildlife for us to sit back and let them be damaged any further."
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