Peatland restoration in Scotland increases by 25% over last year - NatureScot
The number of peatland hectares put on the road to recovery by NatureScot’s Peatland ACTION team increased by 25% between 2022 and 2023 to 5,000 ha, reports the national nature agency today.
Vital in the fight to tackle climate change, peat covers more than 20% of Scotland and is crucial for water quality, richly diverse landscapes, slowing floods and wildfires, sustaining rural jobs and storing carbon. Peatlands in Scotland are estimated to hold the equivalent of 185 years’ worth of the country’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions. However, 80% of the UK’s peatlands – the majority of which are in Scotland - are estimated to be damaged and in need of restoration.
Working with a range of landowners and contractors across Scotland, NatureScot Peatland ACTION have completed over 50 restoration projects in 2022 – 2023. As the NatureScot Peatland ACTION team looks to the future, it has also launched the first interactive peatland restoration data mapping portal of its kind in Scotland, offering access to valuable data and analysis tools. The public will be able to view completed peatland restoration projects across the country, as well as feasibility studies and details of peat depths and condition surveys. Future developments of the portal will also see water table depths included in the available data.
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Posted On: 23/06/2023