Slamannan Peatland Restoration Project

What will the project do?

This restoration of four lowland raised bogs will complete a network of healthy bogs in the central belt of Scotland (between Glasgow and Edinburgh). Large Heath butterflies and the Bog Sun Jumper Spider are poor at moving great distances, so a network of restored bogs will act as stepping stones, providing habitat for them to move through the landscape.

The restoration work will use various damming techniques across ditches and holes to ‘wall in’ water. Shrub and tree removal will also be carried out.

Invertebrate species found in lowland raised bogs include the Large Heath (Coenonympha tullia) and the sphagnum moss-dependant ground beetle Agonum Ericeti. In fact, the Large Heath is an indicator of a healthy bog, as its caterpillars rely on Hares-tail Cottongrass, residing at the base. These are not currently found on Slamannan Plateau.

Following the completion of the restoration work, the road to recover will be a long one, as bogs heal very slowly. Healthy bogs grow at 1mm per year, so it can take 10 years to see how successful the bog restoration has been.

Why restore peat bogs?

Increasing the quality of the bogs not only acts as stepping stones between invertebrate populations, it also reduces wildfire risk and flood risk, and acts as a massive carbon store.

Peat bogs across the Slamannan Plateau have been damaged and degraded over time from human activity. This happens when the peat is dug into or cut away, which can be due to anything from laying down infrastructure and irrigation to simply planting trees.

Raised bogs are formed on top of impermeable, wet ground. They grow very slowly upwards from layers of decomposing sphagnum moss which forms the peat, usually becoming dome shaped. The shape and behaviour of a raised bog is often likened to that of a water droplet placed on a hard surface, as they lock in huge amounts of water as long as they remain unbroken.

How can I get involved?

Scrub clearance days run in winter. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact us.

If you are green-fingered, then one simple step is to switch to buying peat free compost.

If you camp or are using an wild outdoor space, avoiding setting fires whilst outside when particularly dry.