What Is Muirburn?
Muirburn can be defined as the intentional and controlled burning of moorland vegetation. Most commonly it is the burning of heather but gorse bushes and grasslands are sometimes burnt. When burnt, heather moorland regenerates to provide fresh growth for game and livestock.
The aim of muirburn is to create a mosaic of heather at different ages to provide a range of habitats to suit different wildlife and stock groups. For example, longer heather nearby to short fresh growth gives grouse somewhere to shelter.
Regulatory changes are underway and once complete, we will be updating our resources.
For most up-to-date information on Muirburn and the ongoing changes, please consult the NatureScot website:
The Muirburn Code
A latest version of the Muirburn Code was produced for the Scottish Government by Scotland’s Moorland Forum in 2017. Since then, the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 received Royal Assent on 30 April 2024. This Act changes the rules around muirburn as well as how people can capture and kill certain wild birds and animals. The Muirburn code is getting updated as a result of this act and this should be complete in time for the 2025/26 Muirburn season.
The key changes to be aware of and actions you can carry out now following the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 are:
The 2025/26 Muirburn season will be 1st October until 31st March 2026. Thereafter, it will change to being 15th September – 31st March.
As of 1st January 2026, a licence must be held to carry out muirburn. An online licence application process will be available in due course.
There is a requirement in the legislation that requires all persons making Muirburn to be trained. For the 2025/26 season, the online training will suffice and people should then complete the practical training in time for the 2026/27 season.
Muirburn licence holders are required to have regard to the “muirburn code” which will set out how to make muirburn safely and appropriately.
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