Much of the peatlands in the UK – including Shetland – have been degraded and eroded over the years by agriculture, forestry and commercial extraction. Peat is a very important carbon sink and store, but through drainage and erosion it releases the carbon into the atmosphere, becoming a massive source of greenhouse gas emissions.

Severely degraded peatlands can be stabilised through intervention using techniques such as reprofiling and blocking to raise the water table and rewet the peat, and revegetation to reintroduce bog plants such as sphagnum. Over time the peatlands are restored and once again become a carbon sink, an important contributor to net zero. In Scotland Peatland Action provides financial incentives for peatland restoration programmes, however detailed assessments of proposed restoration sites are required to qualify for funding.

We specialise in initial mapping of potential restoration sites using the Peatland Code Field Protocol to determine the extent of degradation and associated GHG emissions, followed by ongoing monitoring of the site throughout the restoration life cycle.