THE RSPB, the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, are asking members of the public to report incidents of burning on peatland using their new burning reporting app.

The Survey123 app allows users to quickly and easily share information about burning from their smartphone and the data collected will be passed on to the relevant authorities in England and Scotland in order to help them identify and tackle unsustainable and in places illegal burning in our uplands.

The evidence collected by this app will help make the case for better protection of our globally important blanket bog and support the RSPB’s call for Governments across the UK.

Pat Thompson, Senior Policy Officer for RSPB UK said, “Burns are designed to cause significant long-term changes to peatland plant life, and these changes have led to the degradation and loss of our peatlands and damaged the wildlife and communities.’

Andrew Midgley, Senior Land Use Policy Officer for RSPB Scotland said, “In Scotland, the Muirburn Code, says that burning on peatlands should not take place, but the RSPB is concerned that such burning does, in fact, continue.’

To anonymously report a burn, members of the public can visit the RSPB Burning website or download the My Survey123 app.