Scotland’s great peatlands, a treasure for climate, wildlife and communities, are set to benefit from the largest restoration funding package ever announced.
NatureScot is releasing more than £20 million for projects over the next three years, with almost £15 million to be spent in 2025 alone.
The work will restore 64 sites across the country, bringing more than 12,000 hectares back to health, an area equal to nearly 30,000 football pitches.
The programme will also support at least 400 green jobs, strengthening employment in rural places where sustainable work matters most.
Healthy peatlands are the most efficient land-based store of carbon on the planet.
Covering only a small fraction of the land, they lock away twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests combined.
Scotland holds 13 percent of the world’s blanket bogs, a responsibility of global scale.
Yet three quarters of our peatlands have been damaged by past drainage, forestry and overgrazing, and they are now releasing carbon rather than storing it.
They account for around 15 percent of Scotland’s annual emissions, on a par with transport.
Since 1990, more than 90,000 hectares have been restored, but the pace must quicken if we are to tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis.
The Scottish Government has pledged £250 million over a decade to restore 250,000 hectares by 2030.
Claudia Rowse, NatureScot Deputy Director for the Green Economy, said the scale of this year’s investment is a milestone.
“I’m delighted that our funding will restore so much more peatland over the next year,” she said.
“The best thing about restoring peatlands is that everyone benefits.
“As well as being good for nature and climate action, it provides jobs, often in remote rural locations, and helps to protect communities and businesses from flooding and wildfire risk. It’s a triple win for people, nature and climate.”
Looking ahead, a further £1 million has been set aside to design the next 12,000 hectares of projects, ensuring that Scotland’s peatlands continue on the road to recovery for years to come.
NatureScot’s Peatland ACTION scheme funds restoration work up to 100 percent of costs while offering advice, training and support to ensure projects are built to last.
There’s more information at www.nature.scot/peatlandaction
