Peatland restoration

Work has begun to restore peatland in a Perthshire estate as part of the government’s Climate Change plan.

The Scottish Government announced on Wednesday, March 15, that it would be investing £8m to help restore eroding Scottish peatlands.

Such restoration work has begun on the Auchlyne and Suie Estate in Killin on their 15-hectare stretch of moorland. Two diggers will spend four weeks resculpting the estate’s peatland.

Landowner Emma Paterson said:“One did think, well, that sounds very odd because back in the 70s my mother got grants to do a lot of draining and this seemed to be going completely the opposite way.

“Thinking on it, it’s going to benefit wildlife and make the habitat better with better grazing for animals.”

MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire Roseanna Cunningham, who is also the Scottish Government’s environment secretary, said:“Restoring our peatlands and taking advantage of their value as a natural resource is crucial if we are to continue to build on our world leading low carbon ambitions, and reduce emissions by 66% by 2032.

“By increasing our investment more communities will be able to transform and use peatlands as an open space, regenerating it as a habitat for wildlife and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

The Scottish Government initiative is designed to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by locking carbon into the environment.