NatureScot is Scotland’s leading nature agency. They seek to inspire, enthuse, and influence others to manage natural resources in a sustainable way. While NatureScot acts locally in Scotland, the impacts of their work extends globally.
“Peatland ACTION is an opportunity to revitalise the rural economy. It’s a nature-based solution to a societal problem – a lot of our work over the years has emphasised the social and economic benefits that come with investments in nature.”
Clive Mitchell
Clive Mitchell, Strategic Resource Manager at NatureScot, talked to us about how they are protecting the planet by restoring peatlands across Scotland.
“Interpretations of the SDGs require a recognition of their coherence. Pursuing one SDG shouldn’t negatively impact progress on another.”
Clive Mitchell
Spotlight on: Scotland
Due to historical damage from drainage and overgrazing, peatlands are now one of Scotland’s largest degraded ecosystems. When peatlands are degraded, they become sources of greenhouse gas emissions – contributing to climate change rather than mitigating it. Since 2012, NatureScot has been working to restore peatlands across Scotland
through their ‘Peatland ACTION’ project. According to Clive, peatland restoration is one of the most effective ways of locking in carbon, offering a nature-based solution to both the climate crisis and biodiversity loss. The project supports Scotland’s transition to net-zero while also strengthening the rural economy through the creation of jobs. Through the ‘Peatland ACTION’ Project, around 42,000 hectares of degraded peatland have already been set on the road to recovery.
A nature-based solution to a societal problem
Peatland restoration has other benefits too. Clive explained that peatland plays a key role in the storage and purification of water. The ‘Peatland ACTION’ project has thereby contributed to improved water quality and a reduced risk of flooding. Not only has this enabled Scotland’s water industry to reduce costs associated with purification and flooding, but it has also benefited marine life. While flood prevention reduces the risk of fish eggs being swept away, increased water storage capacity helps prevent river habitats from drying up during droughts. By increasing the resilience of fish populations, the project has supported the sustainability of salmon fishing, an industry which contributes £24m per year to the local economy and supports over 500 jobs.
“Peatland ACTION is an opportunity to revitalise the rural economy. It’s a nature-based solution to a societal problem – a lot of our work over the years has emphasised the social and economic benefits that come with investments in nature.”
Clive Mitchell
Uniting sectors for sustainability
Implementing the Peatland ACTION programme illustrates the need for collaborative approaches, with NatureScot working in cooperation with partners across the third sector, public sector, and private sector. According to Clive, partnerships have always been hugely important to NatureScot’s work, and they are vital to the advancement of the SDGs.
Similar approaches will be needed to restore other habitats, including woodlands, grasslands, hedges, scrub, coastal and seabed habitats at the pace and scale required necessary to address the climate-nature crisis.
“We are a relatively small organisation with a relatively small footprint in Scottish terms, so we
Clive Mitchell
have to work in partnership, not only with different sectors but also the local communities impacted by our work.”