Call goes out for people to develop peatland restoration skills
Forestry and Land Scotland has teamed up with NatureScot to next week (Monday 13 March) stage a seminar on how to get involved in peatland restoration work.
The online seminar is part of a series promoting nature-based skills and the opportunities that they open up. Aimed at people interested in getting into the sector or looking for a career change, this talk will provide examples of vocational routes into peatland restoration.
It has been organised to help address the shortage of people with the necessary skills to help Scotland meet its peatland restoration target.
Poul Morten Korndal, a Peatland Worksite Supervisor with Forestry and Land Scotland, said;
“Peatland restoration is acknowledged as being a key contributor to Scotland’s Climate Emergency response.
“These amazing habitats are the largest worldwide carbon store but when damaged they can emit up to 20 tonnes of CO2 per hectare each year. The restoration process reverses that and helps peatlands to once again start capturing carbon.
“There is a lot of work to do but there is a desperate shortage of people who are able to do it, so hopefully this seminar will encourage more people to get involved in acquiring the skills and helping with this vitally important work.”
Restoration is about returning peatlands to their normal hydrological condition by blocking drains. It also involves removing trees and ‘stump-flipping’ a technique that FLS uses to flip and bury tree stumps and smooth out the ploughed ridges and furrows.
FLS has been engaged in this work for five years - from Caithness to Galloway and Lochaber to Fife – and has restored around 4000 hectares of afforested peat bog.
The seminar will introduce peatland restoration on the national forest estate and look at the equipment, machinery and skills involved in restoration works.
Anyone interested in taking part can register for the event online.
Notes to editors
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Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) manages forests and land owned by Scottish Ministers in a way that supports and enables economically sustainable forestry; conserves and enhances the environment; delivers benefits for people and nature; and supports Scottish Ministers in their stewardship of Scotland's national forests and land.
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Media enquiries to Paul Munro, Media Manager, Forestry and Land Scotland Media Office 07785 527590 or paul.munro@forestryandland.gov.scot