Peatland Restoration – Your Most Pressing Questions Answered
4 December 2024Have you been considering peatland restoration on your farm and croft, but there are still a few questions you need answered? In this article, we addressed the most frequently asked questions and debunked some of the most common misconceptions about peatland restoration. This article will also signpost you to relevant resources and help you get your peatland restoration project started.
Putting your eroding peatlands on the road to recovery can provide multiple benefits. Farmers and crofters can access funding of up to 100% for feasibility studies, various surveys, project design and management, and restoration work itself, through the Scottish Government’s Peatland ACTION programme. The government has pledged £250 million to restore 250,000 ha of damaged peatlands between 2020 and 2030. Additional public and private finance is also available for some peatland restoration and management.
Peatland restoration offers many benefits to farmers and crofters. These can include increased and better grazing opportunities, less black loss, improved water quality and flow for hydro schemes and fisheries, drought and flood mitigation, greener jobs, increased biodiversity and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, which can potentially be traded as carbon credits.
In this article, we address some of the main questions farmers and crofters have asked when considering restoration of their peatlands. You can also watch our Peatland Restoration Interactive Workshop where we discuss some of the frequently asked questions and more.
Do I have peatland on my farm or croft?
The understanding of what is classed as peatland can differ depending on where you are in the country, or who you are, as there may be historical and cultural differences in the perception of land. For the purpose of peatland restoration, it is important to understand the nationally recognised definitions as those will determine both eligibility and the feasibility of peatland restoration. In general, if your peat is 50 cm or deeper in most places, you may have peatland on your farm or croft that is eligible for Peatland ACTION restoration funding. The area of peatland does not have to be particularly wet or boggy – it can even look rather like a dry heathland that you might call a moorland or be dominated by grasses. Peatland ACTION can carry out a peat depth survey on your land as part of the initial application process to confirm that it is eligible for restoration funding.
The picture shows a standard peat probe, which can be extended to measure the full depth of a bog. However, to get an idea of a peat depth on your farm or croft, you can use any sturdy rod and mark 50 cm on it. To measure peat depth, you simply push the rod into the peat and notice if the rod continues down smoothly past the 50 cm marking. You should take a few sample points across your peatland area to get a rough idea of the depth of the bog to evaluate the potential for restoration.
Do I have a degraded peatland on my farm or croft?
The word “degraded” sometimes makes it sound like peatlands are not being managed correctly or worse, are actively being damaged. However, it is important to understand that many of today’s peatlands were drained in the past in an effort to improve the land for agricultural production, deer stalking and grouse shooting. This was often funded through government incentives as the importance of a natural, functioning peatland and the damage drainage could do was not fully understood. Therefore, when we talk about “degraded peatlands”, we are referring to the natural peatland ecosystem services that have been altered or lost by applying management practices such as drainage, intensive grazing and muirburn.
Farmers and crofters will know best what kind of management practices have been applied on their peatlands to assess whether it’s likely that the habitat has been altered. If the peatlands have been drained, intensively grazed, badly eroded, or muirburn has been practised on them, they are likely to be degraded. Degrading peatlands can also sometimes be detected in nearby water courses, which turn brown due to high volume of washed-out peat, especially after heavy rain. Find out more information on signs of peatland degradation in Peatland Restoration Practicalities.
Why would I restore peatland?
Healthy peatlands have a naturally high water table. This allows for peatland ecosystems to develop and create unique bog habitats. In the past, we have not recognised the value of these habitats. But restored peatlands can continue to be an integral part of the farming business. They support unique species of plants and animals, act as water storage and protect us from droughts and wildfires. They help us regulate water in the landscape and protect our settlements, tracks and fields from flooding while maintaining good water quality. By blocking deep drainage ditches and gullies the land is safer for stock, reducing the number of sheep, lambs and even grouse chicks trapped and lost. Dams and bunds also make the land easier to access, allowing more efficient gathering and monitoring of stock. As hags and gullies revegetate opportunities for grazing also improve.
Peatlands are a core feature of the Scottish landscape, providing priceless cultural and historical value. Efforts to improve the agricultural value of these habitats through drainage have left most of Scotland’s peatlands in a degraded state or in some cases, completely lost. If a peatland on your farm or croft has drains and ditches and/or areas of bare peat with no vegetation cover (these can be peat pans, haggs or gullies), it is likely your bog is draining and eroding away and it will benefit from restoration. A more detailed explanation of the benefits of restoration, including a detailed look at biodiversity, water management and carbon emissions reduction is provided in the Benefits of Peatland Restoration article.
Luckily, the value of natural, well-functioning bogs is now better recognised and funding is available to restore peatlands. Mechanisms for private financing of peatland restoration and management also exist, potentially offering a long-term income. Furthermore, land managers can continue to benefit from area payments through support schemes such as BPS, LFASS, etc.
Can I continue grazing my restored peatland?
Peatland restoration does not exclude your peatlands from being grazed. By restoring bare peat, the vegetation cover, therefore, opportunities for grazing should actually increase. It is important to add that you would be expected to manage the peatland in the restored condition. Intensive grazing can sometimes hamper restoration efforts, so it will depend on the specifics of your site. It is also a condition of Peatland ACTION funding that there is no muirburn for the first 10 years after restoration work is carried out. However, as long as the site is not overgrazed and livestock trampling does not increase erosion, you should be safe to continue grazing activities after restoring peatlands.
Will grazing become boggier after restoration?
Peatland restoration projects are designed with other local land uses in mind. If the aim is to continue grazing in the area, this will be reflected in the design of the restoration project. For example, walkways and crossing areas can be designed-in to allow for safe tracking of livestock. Peatland restoration will generally avoid creation of deep pools where livestock could get stuck or drown. In many cases, restored peatlands provide safer grazing for livestock. Ditch blocking will reduce the depth of drains, which are otherwise the perfect trap for sheep to get lost in. Increased vegetation cover usually stabilises the ground, making peatlands safer and more comfortable for livestock to track across.
Thanks for subscribing! Please check your email for further instructions.
Can I restore peatland with deer on it?
Deer management is an important factor, which must be considered in the feasibility assessment of peatland restoration. High deer stocking densities can cause overgrazing and trampling, which will hamper your restoration efforts. If current deer density is deemed too high, or the impacts of deer are already noticeable on your site, it will likely impact on your eligibility to receive funding for peatland restoration and put any return on investment at risk. Deer on site will not automatically exclude you from peatland restoration funding, however, the risks to the success of restoration must be assessed and mitigated. You may need to decrease the number of deer on your site or exclude deer from the restored areas. Peatland ACTION will offer guidance on a suitable deer stocking density specific to your site.
Will I be allowed to cut peat after restoring peatlands?
Peat cutting has a long and important tradition on the Scottish isles. It is perfectly understandable that crofters and farmers might feel concerned that, by committing to peatland restoration, they will sacrifice their access to peat as a fuel. Prior to the commencement of peatland restoration works, the planning process involves consultation with key stakeholders in the focus area. New and active peat banks do not tend to be considered for restoration and in the design stage, the project manager will work with the local community to designate areas for ongoing peat cutting. In places where peat cutting takes place, the restoration efforts will mainly be focused on old and unused peat banks. In fact, restoration can help preserve peatland features, such as old peat banks, which may have significant value for local people, as it protects them from further erosion. So, while peat cutting would not be allowed in the restored areas, as it would reverse the efforts to restore the peatland, there are options for alternatives for peat cutting for local use to be negotiated. The final design of a restoration project will always be discussed and agreed upon by all relevant stakeholders.
How can I access peatland restoration funding?
If you are ready to start your peatland restoration project, or would like further information about your eligibility, you can contact NatureScot’s Peatland ACTION team. Peatland ACTION manages the Scottish Government’s fund for peatland restoration across the country. Funding is available for up to 100 % of the capital investment covering all the costs associated with the planning and delivery of the restoration works. By securing the funding, farmers and crofters commit to manage their peatlands in the restored condition for 10 years. However, the ongoing maintenance and monitoring costs are not covered by this fund. The application process is free and Peatland ACTION has a network of local dedicated officers who support farmers and crofters with their projects. There is currently an annual deadline for applications, and criteria based on the value for money, risk and scale of the proposal, which are used to identify the most suitable projects to fund. To find out more about Peatland ACTION funding, read our article on Financing Peatland Restoration or watch our video Peatland Restoration Financing Explained:
How will I pay for the maintenance and monitoring of my peatland?
One of the options for securing ongoing, long-term financing for peatland management is the Peatland Code. The Peatland Code is administered by the IUCN UK Peatland Programme enabling monetisation of the climate benefits of peatland restoration. In other words, peatland restoration reduces greenhouse gas emissions from eroding peatlands, which can be quantified in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). Tonnes of CO2e can then be sold on a voluntary carbon market to buyers looking to offset their own emissions. Through purchasing of peatland emissions credits, private finance is invested into the rural sector, helping support the maintenance and management of key habitats, such as the Scottish peatlands. The Peatland Code is completely voluntary and is independent from the Peatland ACTION funding. However, they can be combined to create a long-term business plan for your peatland.
Sarah Erbanova, SAC Consulting
Related Resources
Related articles
Carbon and Mitigation
Sign up to the FAS newsletter
Receive updates on news, events and publications from Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service