Peatland project shortlisted

A LOCAL peatland restoration project has been shortlisted for an RSPB Nature of Scotland award.

The Shetland Peatland Restoration Project has so far “transformed” land north of Cunningsburgh and at East Kame by improving its condition with the aim of reducing carbon emissions.

Methods such as dam construction, re-profiling eroding hags and re-vegetating bare peat can reduce peatland’s carbon output.

Peatbogs are said to store more than three times as much carbon as rainforests, but dried out or eroded peatland can release carbon dioxide into the air.

Some of the work has been achieved by using waste materials from local salmon farms.

The project, funded by Scottish Natural Heritage, has been led by Shetland Amenity Trust’s Sue White since 2014.

She will find out if the project has been successful in the ‘innovation’ category at the RSPB Nature of Scotland Awards when they are held at Prestonfield House Hotel in Edinburgh on 24 November.

The ceremony celebrates projects which “excellence, innovation and outstanding achievement in Scottish nature conservation”.

White said: “Peatland restoration in Shetland has been given in an innovative twist through use of re-cycled locally abundant waste materials from the aquaculture industry.

“We have made carbon savings several times over – through restoring degraded blanket bog, avoiding the need to freight materials to Shetland and re-use of bulky waste material from salmon farms.”