Due to the importance of peatland habitats, we are committed to restoring over 4,000 hectares of peatland over 15 years. We have invested £2.8 million in peatland restoration works so far, in addition to a further £1.2 million on 17+ years of research into restoration techniques and good practice in partnership with consultants Strath Caulaidh Ltd.
Why is peatland restoration important?
Peatlands are a hugely important habitat because they host a diverse range of plant and animal life, and they store significant amounts of carbon. The naturally high-water table found in peatlands facilitates their valued biodiversity and carbon storage ability. However, most of Scotland’s peatlands have been damaged due to drainage and land use change.
Many peatland areas in Scotland have been historically planted with commercial forestry. The ridge and furrow patterns created when ploughing and preparing an area for commercial forestry drains the peat, this in turn lowers the water table and exposes the peat.
When peat is exposed from the water table, it dries out and subsequently releases carbon. Therefore, the restoration of peatland habitats is an important nature-based solution in our fight against climate change.
Benefits of peatland restoration
Read more about our peatland restoration practice
Our ecology team have been busy on our windfarms where they have restored over 1100 hectares of peatland.
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Wave Damming
Previous existing methods of restoring open peatlands (those that have historically been drained but have not been planted with trees) were slow, expensive and messy. Our ecology team worked to develop a more efficient and effective method of restoring these peatlands using the ‘wave damming’ method. Using this technique, the excavator blocks drainage ditches using its bucket to push peat down and thrust it upwards to, create a sealed dam.
Ground Smoothing
After three years of monitoring the new techniques, our team of ecologists established and developed the ‘ground smoothing’ method. This restoration method involves flipping the tree stump from the ridge and burying it in the adjacent furrow. The excavator then tracks over the area to ensure a smooth surface which prevents further drainage.
The importance of sustainable peatland restoration
Our peatland restoration aims to avoid harming species or habitats. Large-scale work can affect water quality, so we use catchment scale modelling and limit yearly restoration areas to minimise risk. This phased approach supports ecological continuity and biodiversity, limiting local extinctions of plant and animal life. We also restrict work to winter months to avoid disturbing breeding birds.
