The importance of peatland management: Adding value for Scotland's landowners
Peatland restoration is gaining significant momentum in Scotland as more landowners become aware of the environmental, social and economic benefits of recovering their natural assets. In Scotland, 2023/4 represented a milestone restoration year, when over 10,000 hectares were restored in a single year, the first time that this has been achieved.
Once set on the road to a healthy state, peatland management becomes equally important to ensure the long-term gains of the restoration work are realised and that the project delivers on its intended outcomes.
As the Scottish Government aims to recover 250,000 hectares by 2030, it's vital that peatland monitoring and maintenance is integrated into the long-term nature recovery strategy. For project owners, this must be viewed as a value creating investment, rather than simply an operational cost.
The Importance of Peatland Management
Professional monitoring and maintenance represents a strategic investment in asset optimisation that enhances project integrity and market value. Without ongoing professional management, restored peatlands may not achieve their full potential, failing to deliver optimal carbon emission reductions and biodiversity uplift that attract premium pricing in the UK's carbon markets.
Projects with robust monitoring programmes and documented performance records command higher values in carbon markets, where buyers increasingly demand evidence-based assurance. Should projects underperform, carbon units generated from restoration may face verification challenges and government grants, awarded based on expected outcomes, may be at risk.
The implications of suboptimal project performance affect both the landowner and wider biodiversity gains. To maximise the value of peatland restoration in Scotland, ongoing monitoring, habitat assessments and proactive management are essential investments in long-term success.
Peatland Asset Management Service
Caledonian Climate’s Peatland Asset Management Service (PAMS) is a comprehensive package that includes site monitoring, data collection, reporting and managing restored peatland sites to support the long-term integrity and marketability of peatland projects for Scottish landowners.
From conducting regular assessments of the site to reviewing potential risks and taking action to optimise site performance, our expert team manages the delivery and conservation of each project to give landholders confidence, whilst maximising the value of their natural assets.
Our Peatland Asset Management Service includes:
- Regular visits to assess the condition of the site
- Maintenance work where needed to address risk areas
- Habitat Impact Assessments
- Wildlife Assessments
- Reporting on wildlife and biodiversity, water quality, and community benefits – tailored depending on the business’ priorities.
Peatland Management in Action: Carroglen, Perthshire
Caledonian Climate provides ongoing monitoring and maintenance support to restored peatland projects across Scotland.
Completed in 2022, Achnacarry Phase 1, a 125-hectare site in the Highlands, is expected to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 35,217 tCO2e over its 100-year lifespan.
Caledonian Climate is undertaking regular wildlife and habitat assessments to review the impact of the project on the surrounding environment and animal life.
Nestled between the dramatic landscapes of Beinn Chraoibh and Beinn Mheadhoin, the project is near the West Inverness-shire Lochs Important Bird Area (IBA), home to black-throated divers, merlins and common scoters. Focus is being placed on the recovery of the estate's wider ecosystem and natural landscape.
Offering this ongoing support ensures the project meets its key performance targets, cementing the integrity and value of all carbon credits and biodiversity uplift generated from the site, and ensuring the landowner’s nature and climate ambitions are achieved.
Strategic Investment in Project Value
Professional peatland management transforms restoration from a completed project into an actively managed asset. PAMS recognises that systematic management creates measurable value enhancement through improved project integrity and premium positioning in the UK's carbon markets.
As the UK's carbon markets evolve, professionally managed assets increasingly outperform those with minimal oversight, achieving higher verification success rates and premium pricing due to the comprehensive documentation that buyers demand.
Peatland restoration doesn't stop when the land is recovered. Ongoing monitoring and maintenance programmes are vital investments that ensure optimal performance and maximum value whilst contributing to Scotland's nature recovery objectives.
Interested in maximising the value of your land? Get in touch with Caledonian Climate here.
For more information on this article, please contact:
Freddie Ingleby
Managing Director
+44 (0) 7840 998 944
freddie@caledonianclimate.com
About Caledonian Climate
Working responsibly with the custodians of Scotland’s beautiful countryside, Caledonian Climate is committed to tackling the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
To achieve this, we talk to forward-thinking businesses who want to fulfil their ambitions for carbon emission reductions through high-quality carbon credits with multiple co-benefits. We then partner them with landholders in the Scottish Highlands, maximising the ecological value and sustainability of their estates.
Building on our significant experience, and guided by a distinguished Advisory Board, Caledonian Climate is delivering the benchmark for long-term restoration of Scotland's degraded peatlands, locking away the carbon for good.
Our work also enhances biodiversity, improves water quality, boosts local economies and creates a compelling story for all of our partners to share.
