Area characterisation:
Most of the area of interest is high altitude blanket bod - at above 700m above sea level. At lower altitudes - that is 250m above sea level - there are forest swamp habitats and riparian swamps. Much of this has been damaged by a combination of overgrazing, drainage and planting of non-native species.
Objective:
To restore approximately 10,000 acres of bog within the area of concern, which covers approximately 60,000 hectares of land within Scotland's Cairngorms National Park.
Potential impacts/benefits:
Creating dams in bogs will help vegetation regrow and prevent water from plunging directly from the hill into fast gorges, that would cause a incresed flood risk downsream and peat erosion. Peat is a great store of carbon, so its restoration could help in decreassing carbon emissions. So far the project has completed 526 ha of blanket bog restoration.
Actions:
The project is creating dams in the damaged bogs to retain water within the swamp. Moreover, the project involves the restoration of 800 hectares of marshy forest.
Global goals:
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13. Climate action
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15. Life on land
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17. Partnerships for the goals
NBS goals:
- Restoring ecosystems and their functions
- Developing climate change mitigation
- Improving risk management and resilience
- Nature-based solutions and the insurance value of ecosystems
- Increasing carbon sequestration through nature-based solutions
NBS benefits:
- Developing climate change adaptation; improving risk management and resilience
- Flood peak reduction
- Increase infiltration / Water storage
- Reduce flood risk
- Restoring ecosystems and their functions
- Increase Biodiversity
- Increased cultural richness and biodiversity
Further information:
The project is part of the Cairngorms Connect Programme, a partnership of neighbouring landowners committed to a 200-years vision for restored habitats and ecological processes at a landscape scale, within the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland.