Flow Country regeneration 'could be worth £400m to far north'
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Flow Country regeneration could be worth hundreds of millions of pounds to the far north economy and create more than 200 jobs over the next 18 years, a new report has claimed.
The study was commissioned by the Flow Country Partnership and North Highland Initiative (NHI), funded by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, to measure the economic impact and business potential of peatland restoration in Caithness and Sutherland.
It calculates that the economic impact could reach £400 million for the local area by 2042 – and suggests that widening access to allow smaller-scale farmers and crofters to sell carbon credits could allow a further £1.4 billion to £4.2bn to be achieved over the course of a century.
This, it says, represents substantial investment into the region's ecological future as well as offering prospects for job creation.
The report, The Economic Impact and Business Potential of Peatland Restoration, was undertaken by 4c Engineering with support from NatureScot, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and others.
Covering some 400,000 hectares, the Flow Country is the largest expanse of blanket bog in Europe, storing an estimated 400 million tons of carbon – twice as much as all the UK’s woodlands combined. An estimated 45 per cent of this peatland area is said to require restoration.
Regeneration of this could lead to the employment of 241 people over 18 years while facilitating spin-off businesses, the study says.
In addition, healthy peatland also supports biodiversity, flood prevention and drought and wildfire mitigation, as well as improved water quality.
Businesses identified as being reliant on peatland include whisky and fishing, while tourism, education and research are considered as spin-off or related industries.
NHI chairperson Genevieve Duhigg said: “It is hard to overstate the importance of the uniquely valuable and vulnerable qualities of the Flow Country. Its preservation and responsible management is crucial to the success of so many endangered species, while developing opportunities for the people who live and work here is vital to the success of rural communities.
"Above all, restoring and preserving this hugely important carbon sink is crucial to preventing climate change.
“This approach presents an opportunity to balance these factors in a sustainable way.
“The report not only sheds light on the economic dimensions of peatland restoration but also underscores the critical need for strategic planning, stakeholder engagement and innovative approaches to undertake the full potential of restoring these vital ecosystems in the north Highlands.
“Alongside the opportunities, challenges are also set out in this report including the availability of local skilled workers and complicated tender processes. It’s clear that our work must take account of these and be carried out in a way that supports and is supportive of local communities and businesses.”
Joyce Campbell, of Armadale Farm on the north coast of Sutherland, is working with the Flow Country Partnership on a pilot project to understand how best farming practices can support peatland restoration.
She said: “I’m delighted to be working with a wealth of experts on this inspiring project. It’s a fascinating way of understanding how I can turbo-charge the natural environment here at Armadale while at the same time continue to farm and produce top-quality beef and lamb as my family has done for generations.
"I can honestly say this project has refreshed my approach to farming. I’m extremely keen that, as the restoration work is undertaken, the local community on my doorstep feels the economic benefits of this with access to the jobs it will create.”
NHI is a not-for-profit organisation established in 2005 as a result of King Charles III’s commitment to support the people and businesses of the north Highlands. It is a partner in the Flow Country Partnership alongside organisations including NatureScot, Forestry and Land Scotland, Scottish Forestry, Highland Council, RSPB Scotland, Plantlife International, the Environmental Research Institute (University of the Highlands and Islands), Highland Third Sector Interface, the Flow Country Rivers Trust Northern Deer Management Group and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
The Flow Country is being considered for World Heritage status by Unesco.
