2. Planning the Works

This section outlines the main stages that a peatland restoration project will go through, in relation to the historic environment. These stages are shown in Figure 4 and described in the following sections.

The process starts with planning the works, which includes identifying the site and the building the project partnership (see section 2.1). This is followed by the assessment of the historic environment resource (see section 3).

Once the peatland restoration plans are known or as they are being developed, an assessment of the impacts on and opportunities for heritage should be undertaken (usually in the form of a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), see section 4). This assessment would be proportionate to the size and complexity of the project. This will lead to the development of the final restoration proposals and mitigation-conservation-enhancement options for the historic environment (see section 5).

Archaeological recording and investigation might take place before or during the works (see section 6), Once the restoration works are carried out, the outputs of any mitigation need to be assessed, analysed, disseminated, and archived (see section 7).

A more detailed project workflow illustrating these stages is shown in Figure 5. It sets out an idealised project lifecycle, and as such, its structure might not directly transpose to some specific funding schemes, or to an organisation’s own in-house procedures. Nonetheless, it highlights that information collection is an iterative process with more information gathered as the scheme is developed and as each stage of investigation concludes. Two-way discussions between all parties are essential throughout.

Given the variability between and within sites, all plans should be considered on a site-by-site basis. Project budgets should assume that multiple phases of investigation are required for a site unless a strong indication is given otherwise in initial discussions. Initial scoping may highlight information gaps that need to be filled before proposals can be finalised.

Experience shows that even apparently well-studied peatlands contain previously unrecorded archaeology. More commonly, records can be incomplete, features being incorrectly located or more extensive than previously indicated.

KEY POINTS:

The scale of each of the planning stages/tasks, and the implications for subsequent work, will depend on the information gathered about the individual site(s)/location(s), and the size and character of the risks posed. Avoiding sites of high archaeological potential is preferable.

Beyond such areas, not all locations will be complex or contain important archaeological or palaeoenvironmental deposits; there will be many situations where no significant issues or concerns are raised.

Early engagement with relevant historic environment stakeholders will establish if this is the case, thereby ensuring that any proposed scheme of works is reasonable and proportionate, minimising costs and delays.

2.1 Site identification

The rationale for choosing new sites for peatland restoration projects will be based on multiple objectives, meeting climate and environmental targets, often working in areas near to existing peatland in good condition, based on many years of site appraisal and discussion.

As noted in section 1, there are advantages of working with historic environment stakeholders during this site identification process to ensure that restoration projects can also deliver benefits to heritage assets or can be placed to avoid particularly significant or sensitive sites where these might be harmed by the restoration work.

In discussing possible peatland restoration sites with historic environment stakeholders, it is helpful to discuss the following points with them

  • The reasons for selecting the site and precise location(s) for the proposed scheme/works
  • What are the key restoration objectives
  • What techniques will be used in the restoration
  • What is the expected restoration trajectory (change from current condition to expected condition post-restoration) and timescales
  • What is present in terms of existing historic environment features, remains, and deposits that could be enhanced by peat restoration
  • What is known about past vegetation (from analysis of samples or looking at historic records) that could be used to inform restoration
  • What is known about the history of this landscape, from peat formation to peat extraction, drainage, and agricultural usage, through to more recent management

2.2 Building the project partnership

Once a site has been identified for peatland restoration, or if applicable, during the process of its selection, it is best practice to engage with the relevant historic environment stakeholders and bring them into the project partnership.

Examples include: local authority or national park archaeologists, Historic Environment Records (HERs), and specialist archaeologists/palaeoecologists in national bodies (such as Historic England and Natural England), universities, and/or commercial archaeology units.

They will be able to advise on the level of existing knowledge about a location, any additional works in the area that have occurred, are planned, or are underway, or initiatives that they may be involved with. They will also be able to help devise appropriate key project objectives, ensuring that the historic environment is included from the outset and hard-wired into the emerging plans, as well as identifying any opportunities to add value to the project.

KEY POINTS:

Early consultation with historic environment stakeholders is key to a successful project. Prior consultation may also be a requirement of some grant schemes in order to fulfil the requirements of the government’s England Peatland Action Plan 2021, which states that implementation of its targets must:


“Protect the historic environment of peatlands so the important evidence of our past can be preserved for the future, and ensure that restoration projects deliver cultural heritage, education and enjoyment, alongside other public goods.”

(UK Government 2021a, 5).

Early consultation with historic environment stakeholders and their involvement within peatland restoration partnerships ensures that project delivery teams are aware of: i) what known historic environment features are present, and ii) what might be expected to be present, that is, the archaeological potential and if/how that can inform archaeological sensitivity mapping. This will help in planning, to:

  • ensure that timescales and budgets are realistic
  • avoid unexpected costs
  • avoid time delays on site
  • secure appropriate contractors e.g. for archaeological survey or sampling
  • select appropriate restoration methodologies
  • flag historic environment related health and safety issues, such as the presence of mine shafts or unexploded ordnance
  • ensure that appropriate consent(s) for works are applied for in a timely manner; for example, projects involving sites with statutory designations that will require permission e.g. Scheduled Monuments (SMs) will need Scheduled Monument Consent (SMC), and excavations of/around Military Aircraft Crash Sites will require a licence obtained via the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC)
  • ensure that correct protocols and procedures are in place to deal with unexpected discoveries (e.g. human remains, Treasure) (see Table 2)

Considering these factors will help to identify and prioritise candidate sites for intervention/restoration.

The design of each investigation phase is best formulated in conjunction with the local planning authority archaeologist (curator)/historic environment advisor and/or national park archaeologist (and Historic England where the works affect a Scheduled Monument), who will be able to advise on the scope.

Sharing restoration proposals will enable a common understanding between archaeologists and peatland professionals at the start of a project and aid communication. All work should be undertaken based on a Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI)/project Design (PD) – hereafter WSI – which should be approved by the relevant historic environment stakeholders and authorities.

KEY HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT STAKEHOLDERS:

  • Local archaeologists, including: the local authority archaeologist (curator)/archaeological/historic environment advisor, and archaeologists/historic environment advisors within National Park Authorities, National Landscapes and the National Trust
  • Historic Environment Record (HER) officer
  • In-house peatland project/partnership archaeologist (as part of the peatland project team)
  • Archaeologists within national public bodies:
    1. Historic England
    2. Natural England
    3. Environment Agency
    4. Forestry England

2.3 Finding experienced contractors and specialists

It will be necessary to contact a suitably qualified archaeological contractor with relevant and demonstrable experience of working with waterlogged/wetland/peatland archaeology to assess the historic environment resource.

For smaller projects, building a relationship with an archaeological contractor who can undertake desk-based assessment, fieldwork in peatland contexts, any required mitigation work, and advise in case of unexpected discoveries, will be useful.

For very large peatland partnerships, it may prove more cost-effective to recruit in-house archaeological expertise for the duration of the project, or as permanent staff. If taking specialist samples (e.g. peat cores or scientific dating samples), additional specialists will likely need to be brought in for advice and analyses (see Table 1 for examples of the types of techniques used to investigate peatland deposits).

Contacts can be sought from the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA), which maintains a register of archaeological organisations and/or Historic England’s Science Advisors, who may be able to provide names of organisations that have carried out similar work in the past. Specific peat restoration grant schemes will also have their own advice on finding and selecting qualified contractors.