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Abstract Sustainable peatland management has recently risen up the UK political agenda as links between peatland ecosystem services and key political priorities, such as rural livelihoods, agricultural production, biodiversity conservation, and carbon emissions, have become established. By adopting an ecosystem approach, something that has become internationally advocated through the Convention on Biological Diversity, to understanding the objectives and sustainability of UK peatland management, this paper reviews contemporary policies relating to three broad categories of peatland ecosystem service (provisioning; regulating and cultural), developed at multiple levels (global to local). We highlight problems associated with incomplete knowledge about complex peatland ecosystem processes and disconnected policies and strategies. The review concludes by discussing the kinds of integrated land use policies that are beginning to emerge in the UK and may shape future peatland management. Key Words: ecosystem servicescarbon storagebiodiversityprovision servicestrade-offs Notes http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/habitat.asp?FeatureIntCode=H7120 Evidence presented by Stewart and Lance (Citation1983, Citation1991) suggests that this rationale may be flawed The USGS describe peat as a 'slowly renewable' energy source http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/peat/ See recommendations of Joosten and Couwenberg (2009) to the UNFCCC about the measurability, reportability and verifiability on trading reduced GHG emissions from peatland restoration Data provided by the Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate, 30 July 2010 http://unitedutilities.co.uk/scamp.aspx A number of the Aicha Biodiversity Targets directly apply to peatland environments (http://www.cbd.int/sp/targets/) Details of the Glastir Regional Package approach are available at: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/farmingandcountryside/ruraldevelopment/axis2/glastir/glastirregionalpackage/?lang=en http://ec.europa.eu/eu2020/index_en.htm Moors for the Future is a collaborative partnership between the Peak District National Park Authority, the National Trust, Natural England, United Utilities, Severn Trent Water, Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water, Derbyshire County Council and RSPB working to restore damaged and degraded peatland in the Peak District and South Pennines. http://www.moorsforthefuture.org.uk/