Mountain peatland restored by hand

NatureScot reserve staff and volunteers have been working with Peatland ACTION to restore eroded peat in the Coire Ardair area using hand tools and natural materials.

Excavators are key tools in peatland restoration in Scotland, but in some remote and inaccessible areas, or for smaller sites, they are not always practical.

The project at Creag Meagaidh demonstrates how alternative techniques can be used to help bring more of our peatlands back to health.

NatureScot Regional Reserves Manager Neil Mitchell said: “Creag Meagaidh NNR is a dramatic mountainous place, home to three Munros and specially protected for its wildlife, birds and other species. It’s generally quite a rocky site so we’ve not got massive amounts of peatland.

“There’s no doubt that the peatland on the reserve is recovering as a result of reduced deer numbers, but we want to accelerate that recovery. The peatland here may be of a smaller scale but it’s still really important, and we want to see it in tip-top condition.”

Healthy peatlands act as vital carbon stores, as well as essential habitats for a wide variety of species. Scotland has around 2million hectares of peatlands, but they are currently one of our largest degraded ecosystems, making them a contributor to climate change if they are not restored.

At Creag Meagaidh NNR materials were dropped off in the remote area by a helicopter that was already delivering materials for path maintenance on the mountain. The team then worked by hand over 10 days to install a combination of wooden dams and coir dams – made from rolls of dense coconut fibre - in the bare eroded gullies. These will help to prevent the loss of peaty soils, slow the flow of water off the bog and help the peatland to revegetate naturally and, in time, function as it should.

Neil added: “It’s great to see the newly formed pools behind the dams, which provide vital habitats for many plants and insects on the reserve, including the larvae of rare and endangered dragonflies.

“We hope that these improvements will support the next generation of dragonflies like the azure hawker and white-faced darter, as well as promote the growth of cotton grass, sphagnum moss and sundews, transforming this part of the reserve from bare peat into a thriving ecosystem.”

Peatland ACTION Project Officer Peadar O’Connell said: “Restoring peatlands by hand like this can be a difficult job logistically and is hard work. You’re up against the elements, often working at a high altitude and contending with rain, wind and sometimes snow. So, it can be challenging, but it’s also very rewarding in that you can start to see the benefits really quickly afterwards and you’re tackling the erosion that otherwise wouldn’t get done.

“This project is a great example to other land managers who may have smaller areas of degraded peatland that they would like to restore. Peatland ACTION can provide advice on the design and materials required for a project.”

Climate Action and Rural Affairs Secretary Gillian Martin said: “The team at Creag Meagaidh has helped bring an important area of degraded peatland back onto a path to recovery – demonstrating how important it is to adapt techniques to suit local conditions. Through Peatland ACTION, the Scottish Government is investing £110 million in peatland restoration over four years to support innovative projects like this one, which contribute to our target of restoring 400,000 hectares of peatland by 2040 and deliver lasting benefits for nature, climate and communities.”

Watch a short video about the project, and for more information about Peatland ACTION contact: PeatlandAction@nature.scot

Restoring habitats and supporting species recovery is a key part of NatureScot’s ambitious plan for nature recovery in Scotland over the next four years.

Habitat restoration work on our National Nature Reserves – including peatland restoration and woodland expansion - is leading the way, making a direct and significant contribution to the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy’s ambitious target to halt biodiversity loss and restore nature by 2045.

See our website for more information about Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve (NNR).

ENDS