Vital benefits for millions of people that flow beyond the landscape boundary

Description of special quality

The PDNP is an asset not only to those living nearby, but also further afield in the UK and around the world. As well as the obvious benefits to the mental and physical health of its visitors, the ecosystem services that the PDNP provides are benefits that many take for granted. Reservoirs provide water to the nearby towns and cities, and habitats can reduce the flood risk downstream. The blanket bog of the PDNP contains a large carbon store in the form of peat, and woodlands are living biomass. Restoration of ecological function will enable these habitats to retain and absorb more carbon in the future.

Features in this category: Paths, tracks and trails, Open access land and public access, Transport links into the national park, Healthy soil, Blanket bog, Wet woodland, Woodlands, Good water quality, Reservoirs and water management, Rivers and streams

Below is a summary of the some of the more significant impacts that climate change could have on this special quality.

Overall vulnerability of special quality

This special quality is highly vulnerable to climate change. Of the ten special quality features assessed, 10% have been rated as ‘very high’ on our vulnerability scale and 60% were rated as ‘high’. 20% have been rated as ‘moderate’, and only 10% were given a ‘low’ rating. An increase in the frequency and severity of storms and associated damage, and greater wildfire risk during hot dry summers may be the main effects of climate change on this special quality.

The current condition of this special quality is variable, with the poorest condition in the highly fragmented wet woodland and heavily degraded blanket bog. Degraded blanket bog is unable to provide carbon storage, water filtration, or flood reduction benefits. Water quality downstream of degraded blanket bog is affected by peat erosion, but in other areas is much better. Access to the landscape of the PDNP is currently well facilitated, with visitors from the nearby urban centres able to easily access many areas.

Storms may cause damage to the important habitats of the PDNP and limit their ability to provide ecosystem services. For example, increased loss of peat from degraded blanket bog during more frequent storm events could limit the PDNP’s ability to function as a carbon store. Downstream, water quality in reservoirs and other water bodies may be reduced as erosion increases during storms. Higher wildfire incidence may increase these effects, as more severe burns cause greater carbon loss and increase siltation of water courses from ash and erosion. Increased visitor numbers during hot dry summers may increase the wildfire risk through accidental ignition. Access for visitors to the PDNP may however be inhibited by wildfire and storm damage through closures to paths and transport routes.

Indirect effects such as higher pollutant concentrations due to low water levels and increased plant growth may also affect PDNP ecosystem services. Water quality may be reduced as heavy metal pollution spreads downstream from degraded blanket bogs through peat erosion exacerbated by droughts. Increased plant growth may negatively affect the species assemblage in the uplands, but may also benefit the carbon uptake ability of woodlands. Disease prevalence may increase during times of environmental stress, causing some trees to die off.