Walk through a rain-soaked moor on a winter’s day and you will feel it underfoot, the soft, springy ground that seems to drink in the downpour. It is not just mud or moss. It is one of Britain’s most overlooked natural assets in the fight against flooding: peatland. While we talk a lot about flood barriers, reservoirs, or even sustainable drainage systems, far less attention is given to these boggy expanses that have quietly managed water for millennia.
At a time when climate change is making extreme rainfall events more frequent, it is worth asking: why are we ignoring the moss that holds back the storm?
Britain’s hidden wetlands
Peatlands cover around 10 per cent of the UK’s land area, from the blanket bogs of the Pennines and the Scottish Highlands, to the raised bogs of the Fens and the lowlands in Northern Ireland. They are Britain’s largest semi-natural habitat, yet they remain underappreciated compared with woodlands, meadows, or rivers.
Unlike many ecosystems, peatlands are defined not by what grows above the surface, but by what accumulates below. Over centuries, layers of waterlogged sphagnum moss and plant matter build up into peat, a thick, carbon-rich soil that locks in moisture. This unique process means peatlands can act both as a vast natural reservoir and as a living archive of our ecological past.
Nature’s sponge
Think of peatlands as a giant sponge across the uplands. When rain falls, they soak up water and release it slowly, regulating flow into rivers and streams. A healthy peatland can hold up to 20 times its weight in water. By slowing down that journey, peatlands reduce the peak flow that can overwhelm rivers downstream, helping to prevent flash flooding in towns and farmland.
This is not just theory. Studies from the Yorkshire Dales to Exmoor have shown that restored peat bogs can delay peak river flows by hours, giving downstream communities vital breathing space. In places like Pickering in North Yorkshire, peatland restoration has been linked to reduced flood risk, a powerful example of how “green infrastructure” can complement engineered defences.
For farmers and rural communities living on floodplains, this natural buffering is priceless. Yet most people rarely connect the spongy ground of a moor with the safety of their high street during heavy rain.
A fragile system under threat
The problem is that many of Britain’s peatlands are not healthy. Centuries of drainage for farming, burning for grouse moors, and extraction for horticultural compost have left them degraded. Instead of holding water, damaged peatlands shed it quickly, like a cracked sponge. Worse, dry or eroded peat breaks down and releases carbon dioxide, making them a source of emissions rather than a carbon sink.
According to the IUCN Peatland Programme, around 80 per cent of UK peatlands are in a damaged state. In practice, that means less flood protection, poorer water quality in rivers, and a steady release of greenhouse gases. When heavy rain falls on a degraded peatland, instead of absorbing the deluge, it can funnel water downstream with destructive speed.
This is not just a rural problem. Urban centres such as Manchester, Leeds, and Glasgow all sit downstream of major peatland catchments. When these uplands fail, the cities below feel the consequences.
Aerial drone photo of the town of Allerton Bywater near Castleford in Leeds West Yorkshire showing the flooded fields and farm house from the River Aire during a large flood after a storm
Signs of renewal
The good news is that efforts to repair this hidden infrastructure are gathering pace. Across the UK, NGOs, water companies, and government agencies are working to “rewet” the bogs.
Moors for the Future Partnership has spent two decades restoring degraded peatlands in the Peak District and South Pennines. By blocking old drainage ditches and replanting sphagnum moss, they have transformed bare, eroding moors into water-holding wetlands once more.
Yorkshire Water, recognising the link between upland peat and downstream flood risk, has invested heavily in peatland restoration across its catchment areas. This benefits not only flood resilience but also water quality, reducing treatment costs.
In Scotland, Peatland ACTION, a government-backed scheme, has funded over 40,000 hectares of restoration, with an ambition to expand much further.
On Exmoor, trials run by the National Trust and South West Water have shown how rewetting bogs reduces flood peaks and improves biodiversity, from dragonflies to wading birds.
These projects often rely on volunteers as well as scientists, with teams laying coir rolls, planting moss, and building small dams to raise water tables. It is muddy, patient work, but the results are tangible.
More than a flood defence
What makes peatland restoration so compelling is its multi-benefit return. For every hectare restored, we do not just get flood mitigation. We also store carbon, protect habitats for rare species, and improve water quality. The ecosystem services are stacked in our favour.
Peatlands also carry cultural value. From the folklore of Dartmoor’s bogs to the archaeological treasures preserved in anaerobic peat, these landscapes are woven into Britain’s history. Their future role in protecting us from climate extremes simply adds another layer of importance.
The road ahead
Despite progress, restoration is still a fraction of what is needed. If 80 per cent of peatlands are degraded, then the current pace of work is only scratching the surface. Funding is piecemeal, projects are often short-term, and public awareness remains low. Ask most people about flood defences, and they will picture a concrete wall, not a mossy moor.
Peat moss, sphagnum moss, close-up. Also known as swamp or faster moss
For government, the challenge is to embed peatland restoration into mainstream flood and climate policy, not treat it as a niche conservation project. For water companies, it is about recognising that investment upstream saves money downstream. And for the public, it is about valuing bogs not as wastelands, but as lifelines.
As climate shocks intensify, we will need every tool available. Britain’s peatlands are not glamorous, but they are powerful. The storm is already here, and the moss is waiting.
Call to action
If Britain is serious about building resilience, then peatlands must be seen for what they are: a green sponge against the floods, a carbon vault against emissions, and a biodiversity haven against ecological collapse. Supporting restoration projects, whether through policy, donations, or volunteering, is a practical step anyone can take.
Next time you see a rain-swept moor, do not dismiss it as bleak or barren. It may well be the quietest, cheapest, and most effective flood defence we have.
