Once the trees have gone: Evaluating changes in water quality in restored blanket bog the flow country, Scotland

Authors:
Roxane Andersen, Richard Taylor, Paul Gaffney, Neil Cowie and Alan Youngson

Book:
Proceedings of the 15th International Peat Congress

Venue:
Kuching

Keywords:
blanket-bog, infrastructure, restoral, water-management

Documentfile:
ipc16p159-163andersentaylor.etal_.pdf

Summary:

INTRODUCTION

Covering over 4000 km2, the Flow Country peatlands of Caithness and Sutherland are Europe‘s largest blanket bog. It is the UK‘s single largest terrestrial carbon store. It is also home to a wide range of designatedspecies, including rare breeding waders (Lindsay et al., 1988). What‘s more, it is at the source of many Atlanticsalmon (Salmo salar) rivers; hence supports sports fishing – a critical income for rural areas in the Highlands.In an attempt to improve productivity and grazing, a lot of hill drains were dug in those upland peatlands inthe early 20th century. A more radical land-use change was initiated in the 1950s due to post-war timber shortages…