Clyde Peatlands brochure

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Addressing the climate and ecological crises

Why Peatlands?

Carbon

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Peatland restoration is a nature-based solution to the climate and ecological crises. Healthy bogs can lock up and store large amounts of carbon however, if degraded, may instead emit more carbon than they remove.

Large scale bog restoration to reduce emissions and lock up carbon, particularly in the upland areas around Glasgow City Region.

Healthy, functioning peatlands can help mitigate the anticipated impacts of climate change such as increased rainfall events by storing and slowly releasing water back into the river network. Healthy peatlands are also home to an array of birds, plants, fungi, invertebrates and micro-organisms making them an incredibly unique and biodiverse habitat.

Scotland’s degraded peatlands

Bishopton Bishopton & Linwood Bishopton & Linwood Moss Bishopton & Linwood Moss & Linwood Moss Moss

Clyde Muirshiel Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park Regional Park

Scotland’s 2.5 million homes

Lochwinnoch LochWetlands winnoch LochWetlands winnoch LochWetlands winnoch Wetlands

Reference: Sources of Scottish Greenhouse Gas Emissions, 2018.

Values in MtCO2e – Scottish Government 2020

Kilpatrick Kilpatrick Hills Kilpatrick Hills Kilpatrick Hills Hills

Bl Bl Bl Bl ac ac ac ac k k k k Ca Ca Ca Ca rt rt rt rt

6.2 MtCO2e

TOTAL ANNUAL EMISSIONS

Restoration of a rich and diverse wildlife habitat and creation of a permeable landscape that allows species to move freely through and between peatland habitats.

Campsie Fells Campsie Fells Campsie Fells Campsie Fells

Leven Leven Leven Leven

Clyde Peatlands 6.0 MtCO2e

Connectivity

The Green Network has developed Clyde Peatlands to directly address the opportunities for peatland restoration across Glasgow City Region with support and funding from NatureScot, through the Peatland ACTION Fund.

A fifth of Scotland is covered in peat but 80% of that is currently degraded and emitting carbon.

CARBON Kelvin Kelvin Kelvin Kelvin

Clyde Clyde Clyde Clyde Cart White White Cart White Cart White Cart Gleniffer Braes Gleniffer

Glasgow City Glasgow Centre City Glasgow Centre City Glasgow Centre City Centre

Kelvin Wetlands Kelvin Wetlands Kelvin

Wetlands Kelvin Wetlands Seven Lochs Seven Wetland Lochs Seven Park Wetland Lochs Seven Park Wetland Lochs Park Wetland Park

Plateau Slamannan Plateau Slamannan Plateau Black Loch

East Kilbride East Mosses Kilbride East Mosses Kilbride East Mosses Kilbride Mosses

CARBON

Clyde Peatlands will deliver the bog & heath component of the Strategic Habitat Network.

Kelvin Seven Lochs Wetland Park

Clyde

Bishopton & Linwood Moss

Wetland

Black Loch Mosses

Glasgow City Centre

Neutral Grassland

North Shotts Mosses

Gleniffer Braes

Ca rt

Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park

White Cart

Slamannan Plateau

Broadleaved Woodland

Mid-Clyde Haughs

Bl ac k

Our Blueprint was developed to guide delivery of the regional Green Network and is based on Strategic Habitat and Access Networks.

Leven

Benefits

Bog & Heath

Lochwinnoch Wetlands

Dams to Darnley Country Park

> Contribute to the reversal of ecological collapse by restoring a Scottish and UK priority habitat > Provide local opportunities for people to interact with nature bringing with it a range of health and wellbeing benefits.

Clyde Clyde Clyde Clyde

Whitelee Carnwath Bogs Clyde

Coalburn Moss

COMMUNITY

Lenzie Moss, East Dunbartonshire

Whitelee is the UK’s largest onshore wind farm.

Lenzie Moss is a lowland raised bog that was modified and degraded through historic peat extraction. Over the last 20 years a partnership between East Dunbartonshire Council and the Friends of Lenzie Moss have worked together to improve the condition of the bog.

Hill Tinto Hill Tinto Hill

As part of the Whitelee development the site owners, ScottishPower Renewables, committed to restoring 900 hectares of previously forested blanket bog and 1700 hectares of drained blanket bog.

North North Lowther North Lowther Uplands North Lowther Uplands Lowther Uplands Uplands

Culter Fell Culter Fell Culter Fell Culter Fell

North North Lowther North Lowther Uplands North Lowther Uplands Lowther Uplands Uplands

Restoration techniques included ground smoothing the deforested areas and wave damming (blocking) drained areas to encourage peatland species to recolonise.

Over half of Whitelee’s peatlands are on the road to restoration with the remainder planned for the next 5 years.

Restoration included tree removal and ditch blocking.

Drying out of the bog has been reduced and wetter areas created providing vital habitats for wildlife and key bog building plants such as sphagnum moss. This, in addition to access improvements, has transformed the site into a healthier peatland landscape and a much valued and well-used local outdoor space. This project is supported

by NatureScot, through the Peatland ACTION Fund.

Tinto Hill

Muirkirk

COMMUNITY

North Lowther Uplands

Culter Fell North Lowther Uplands

Blueprint: Strategic Habitat Network

Pentland Hills

Pentland Pentland Hills Pentland Hills Pentland Hills Hills

Tinto Hill Tinto

Moss Coalburn Moss Coalburn Moss

Muirkirk Muirkirk Muirkirk Muirkirk

Southern Southern Uplands Southern Uplands Southern Uplands Uplands

East Kilbride Mosses

It will: > Provide a unique opportunity for Glasgow City Region to deliver on its plans to meet Net Zero commitments > Help prepare the City Region for the inevitable consequences of an already changing climate and in particular increased rainfall and flooding

Carnwath Carnwath Bogs Carnwath Bogs Carnwath Bogs Bogs

Whitelee Wind Farm, East Kilbride Coalburn Moss Coalburn

Kelvin Wetlands

Creating local opportunities for people to understand the importance of bogs and to engage them in practical restoration activities.

North Shotts North Mosses Shotts North Mosses Shotts North Mosses Shotts Mosses

Haughs Mid-Clyde Haughs Mid-Clyde Haughs

Whitelee Whitelee Whitelee Whitelee

CONNECTIVITY

Community

Mosses Black Loch Mosses Black Loch Mosses Black Loch Mosses

Mid-Clyde Haughs Mid-Clyde

Braes Gleniffer Braes Gleniffer

Dams to Braes Darnley Dams to Country Darnley Dams to Park Country Darnley Dams to Park Country Darnley Park Country Park

COMMUNITY

Slamannan Plateau Slamannan

Case Studies

Campsie Fells

Kilpatrick Hills

CARBON

Southern Uplands

Can you help us deliver?

Peatland restoration represents a fantastic opportunity for Glasgow City Region to contribute to net zero targets while helping address the impacts of increased rainfall and assisting with nature’s recovery. Clyde Peatlands can only succeed if landowners and land managers help deliver peatland restoration.

We would like to speak with you if:

Why you might be interested:

> You own or manage peatlands or land with peat soils > Your land is near one of our habitat connectivity target areas

> Free advice and consultation > Up to 100% funding for feasibility and capital works > The potential to generate income from Peatland Code credits > Water flow regulation to help reduce flooding or for hydro schemes > To restore a national priority habitat for wildlife.

Contact Us

7579/3/22 www.traffic-design.co.uk

enquiries@gcvgreennetwork.gov.uk

Clyde Peatlands is a Green Network Blueprint delivery project hosted by South Lanarkshire Council with support and funding from NatureScot, through the Peatland ACTION Fund.