Peatland restoration roadshow shifts into gear

MONDAY marks the start of a peatland restoration roadshow.

Peatland consultancy firm Caledonian Climate Partnership (CCP) has organised the discussions, which are touring Scotland until 23 March.

The roadshow – which is supported by NatureScot and Peatland Action – is aimed at “people with an interest in land management and nature restoration, including farmers, keepers, stalkers, estate managers and advisers, and the local community”.

Freddie Ingleby, managing director at CCP, which surveyed more than 8,000 hectares of peatland in Scotland last year, said: “In Scotland, almost 80% of our peatland is degraded, and, in this state, it is the fifth-biggest emitter of carbon in the country.

“However, properly managed it becomes the greatest carbon store, which is probably one of the biggest natural opportunities we have here to turn the tide on the climate crisis.

“The good news is that restoring peatland can be delivered at speed and scale with almost immediate environmental benefits, accompanied by economic and social benefits, but we need to be restoring more quickly than we currently are.”

CCP is also working with Wetlands International, a charity that’s supported by fashion designer Stella McCartney, to restore an area of degraded land equivalent to more than 400 football pitches.

Read more stories on Scottish Field’s wildlife pages.

Plus, don’t miss Andy Dobson’s article about rockpools in the March issue of Scottish Field magazine.