Peatland restoration methods – an analysis of cost-effectiveness

Peatlands cover nearly a quarter of Scotland and contain over half of the total Scottish soil carbon. However, more than 90% of the lowland raised bogs (and over half of the blanket bog) have been altered to such an extent that they are now degraded, causing substantial Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

This report looks at the costs and benefits of peatland restoration activities in Scotland to get a sense of the cost effectiveness of different techniques, primarily targeting work carried out since 2010.

Scottish Government has set ambitious peatland restoration and rewetting targets in the Climate Change Plan. This project provides information about which techniques work in certain circumstances to achieve the initial goal of sustainable rewetting of peatlands.