Stop Turbines In North Cornwall

Peat bogs and turbines

Peat bogs and turbines

Another worrying aspect of putting wind turbines on Davidstow Moor is the fact that most of it is peat marsh.

If you don't know Bodmin moor and its history, have a look at '400 Million Years In The Making'
"But as sea level fell it paused at times, so the sea had time to erode broad flat benches in the landscape – ancient sea beds! Davidstow airfield is probably on one at around 300m above present day sea level. You can stand on Roughtor today – at 400m – and imagine the scenery changing as the sea level fell"

A New Scientist Artcicle tries to weigh up some of the issues with building on peat bog. Not only do peat bogs store three times as much carbon as held in tropical rainforests, but a similar wind farm development in Ireland ended in disaster.
New Scientist: The hidden cost of wind turbines

The National Trust also urge the Government to conserve peat bogs as a way of curbing climate change. BBC article about National Trust concerns

Windfarm developments on blanket bog - A cautionary tale from Derrybrien, Co Galway, and pointers for safeguards needed when similar developments are proposed for the United Kingdom
Written by John Phillips, MA, CBiol, MIBiol published in September 2005

Wind farm construction on a peat-rich site has an immediate adverse effect on atmospheric carbon dioxide according to a report written for the Renewable Energy Foundation By Dr M J Hall CChem FRSC, CBiol FIBiol titled Peat, Carbon Dioxide Payback and Wind Farms