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Peatland ACTION - What we have achieved
Peatland ACTION is a national programme to restore peatlands across Scotland.
It is led and funded by Scottish Government and delivered in partnership with NatureScot, Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Authority, Cairngorms National Park Authority, Scottish Water, and Forestry and Land Scotland.
In April 2019 The Scottish Government lead the nation in declaring a global climate emergency. In recognition that peatland restoration offers a clear nature-based solution to both the climate crisis and biodiversity loss the Scottish Government announced, early the following year, a multi-annual investment in peatland restoration of more than £250 million up to 2030.
What have we achieved?
Since 2012 The Peatland ACTION Programme has set over 43,000 ha of degraded peatland on the road to recovery.
![Infographic depicting restoration progress delivered by the Peatland ACTION Programme between 2012 and 2023](/sites/default/files/styles/embedded/public/2023-08/Peatland%20ACTION%20-%20Progress%20infographic%20-%20Aug%202023.jpg?itok=6kxY-A2g)
Bar chart showing hectares delivered by the Peatland ACTION Programme between December 2012 and end of March 2023.
Horizontal (x) axis shows financial year e.g. 2012-13 meaning March 2012 to March 2013
Vertical (y) axis shows the number of hectares on the road to recovery.
Excavator graphic showing the total for the programme = >43,000 hectares
Peat bog graphic showing the Scottish Government cumulative target of 250,000 hectares to be delivered by 2023.
Data: 2012-13 = 270 ; 2013-14 = 420 ; 2014-15 = 5570 ; 2015-16 = 2810 ; 2016-17 = 450 ; 2017-18 = 3660 ; 2018-19 = 5810 ; 2019-20 = 6000 ; 2020-21 = 5658 ; 2021-22 = 5637 ; 2022-23 = ca. 7502
Awards - Peatland ACTION Programme
- RSPB's Nature of Scotland Awards (2023) - Landscape Restoration Award category - Highly Commended
- Holyrood Climate Award (2023) - Winners trophy for the Nature and Climate category.
- RSPB's Nature of Scotland Awards (2020) - Nature and Climate Action category - Finalist
- Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (2016) - Best Practice - Large Scale Nature Conservation Award category - Winner
- Scottish Land and Estates' Helping it Happen Awards (2018) - Enhancing our Environment category - Winner (for NatureScot Peatland ACTION funded restoration project at Dryhope Farm led by Tweed Forum)
- Shetland Environmental Awards (2017) - Winner (for Scottish Water - Sustainable Land Management Team Peatland ACTION funded restoration work at Sandy Loch.
- RSPB’s Nature of Scotland Awards (2015) - Innovation Award Category - Winner (for NatureScot Peatland ACTION funded restoration project led by CNPA)