Large scale commercial peat extraction at Wedholme Flow, Cumbria, and Thorne Moor, South Yorkshire, will no longer take place following a deal announced today by environment minister Michael Meacher to protect valuable habitats.

The government has set itself the target of 40 per cent of the UK's total market requirements to be satisfied by alternatives to peat by the year 2005.

Forum Response: English Nature

Andy Brown, acting chief executive of English Nature, told ePolitix.com: "We welcome today's announcement, bringing, as it does, an opportunity for one of the largest and most exciting habitat restoration projects anywhere in the country.

"The securing of the final part of 1,526 hectares of peatland to be restored and established as nature reserves is fantastic news for the environment, without prejudicing those people who rely on peat, or affecting local employment. The agreement announced today will ensure that very real environmental benefits are realised - especially on the English peat extraction issue.

"We look forward to working with a range of organisations to turn these sites into major visitor attractions in Cumbria and South Yorkshire, of immense value to the local community, tourism and the economy."

Forum Response: The Woodland Trust

A spokesman for the Woodland Trust told ePolitix.com: "This is tremendous news which we warmly welcome and the result of a long campaign.

"However, the headline Defra gave the press release of 'UK's Rainforests Saved' is a highly misleading one. As the Woodland Trust and WWF showed in research published earlier this month, our ancient woodland heritage, the UK's rainforest equivalent, continues to face degradation and loss due to inadequate planning guidance and decisions being made on the basis of poor information".