Scotland has restored a record 15,448 hectares of peatland.
This achievement, revealed in the latest Peatland ACTION annual review, exceeds the Scottish Government ’s target for 2025/26 by more than 3,000 hectares.
Peatlands are a vital tool in the fight against climate change, acting as carbon sinks and storing the equivalent of 140 years’ worth of the nation’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions.
Climate action secretary, Gillan Martin, said: "As we celebrate World Peatlands Day, I am pleased to report Scotland’s Peatland ACTION Partnership has put 15,448 hectares of degraded peatlands on the road to recovery.
"We have again exceeded our annual Programme for Government commitment.
"Restoring our peatlands creates quality jobs and economic opportunities in rural areas as well as reducing emissions, mitigating risks of flooding and wildfires, improving water quality, increasing biodiversity, and making our landscapes more resilient to the damaging effects of climate change."
There are around two million hectares of peatland in Scotland.
When degraded, peatland contributes to the climate crisis rather than helping to combat it, due to the release of stored carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
The restoration work was supported by £35.5 million in Scottish Government funding and involved joint efforts across multiple organisations.
NatureScot ’s grant programme backed 67 projects, delivering 10,352 hectares of restoration.
The Cairngorms National Park Authority contributed 1900 hectares through 15 projects.
Forestry and Land Scotland restored 1821 hectares, while Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority delivered 954 hectares of improvements.
Scottish Water also played a role by restoring 421 hectares.
Ms Martin said: "As well as our record delivery this year we have published our Peatland ACTION Five-Year Partnership Plan and new Climate Change Plan which represent significant milestones for the programme."
She said: "I thank all of our partners for their sustained efforts and tenacity in delivering another landmark year."
Beyond land restoration, the Peatland ACTION programme is also building skills and employment for the future.
More than 100 individuals benefitted from a new Peatland Training Fund, developing expertise in the sector.
The Peatland Internship Programme supported six organisations to host full-time interns for up to six months.
Manouk Wilkinson, now a Peatland ACTION project officer with the Cairngorms National Park Authority, entered the sector through the training scheme.
Ms Wilkinson said: "I can’t believe how lucky I have been.
"I took a leap of faith from being an English teacher to becoming a peatland restoration practitioner and it has worked out well for me.
"I like working with nature and understanding what’s going on around you.
"I was a mountain guide at weekends, and I started doing peat depths and feasibility studies for peatland agents.
"I really enjoyed that and I got a lot of work quite quickly, so I decided to leave the security of teaching and look for work in the peatlands."
She successfully applied for a traineeship with the Shetland Amenity Trust.
The scheme gave her hands-on experience in mapping, site visits, community engagement, and working with junior rangers.
She described her time in Shetland as "brilliant" and said she learned a great deal in just five months.
Although peatland restoration in Shetland was challenging due to wind and water erosion and a short growing season, the experience prepared her well for her current role in the Cairngorms.
Ms Wilkinson said peatland restoration is a "simple intervention" to reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change.
She said restored sites are already showing improvements in biodiversity, with sphagnum mosses, hen harriers, golden plovers, and red-throated divers returning.
Her work now involves scoping and planning restoration projects that will contribute to next year’s targets.
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