A massive peatland restoration project is being planned by Buccleuch Estate, working with the Crichton Carbon Centre.

The joint project plans to undertake an intensive exercise to map areas of potential deep peat on estates in the south of Scotland. Following completion of a report containing information on the peatland areas, a programme of restoration and biodiversity enhancement will be planned for the next decade and beyond.

A second phase of peatland restoration work has recently been completed on Buccleuch’s Queensberry Estate supporting a new mentoring scheme to train individuals in bare peat restoration techniques introduced via the partnership and funded by NatureScot Peatland ACTION.

The Crichton Carbon Centre report, commissioned and funded by Buccleuch, identified 28 sites on the estates where peatland could be restored, in addition to more than 150 ha of peatland already restored across two sites in the Scottish Borders.

READ MORE: Peatland Restoration Roadshow to be held across Scotland

Adrian Dolby, head of agriculture at Buccleuch, said: “We’re very pleased to be moving forward with our ambitions to restore peatlands alongside the Crichton Carbon Centre. In the last few years, peatland and its environmental importance has moved beyond a discussion between land managers and scientists and gained greater prominence with the public.

“In Scotland, it is estimated that peatland covers 20% of the land, but around 80% of this is degraded. This puts Scotland and in turn Buccleuch, in a position where there is the potential to lock in huge quantities of carbon by restoring vast areas of peat. We also, however, face a situation where historic degradation must be addressed before the full positive impact of peatland restoration can be realised.

“Buccleuch has an understanding of the effort required to restore and manage peatland, and we take our environmental responsibilities into account in our wider land use discussions ensuring we make the right decisions for future generations.”

The mentoring scheme is part of wider Peatland ACTION efforts to increase the skilled workforce for peatland restoration.This will see eight successful applicants spend 12 days gaining practical training and experience in peatland restoration.