A project to restore part of the intricate blanket bog at RSPB Scotland Forsinard Flows nature reserve is in the running to receive funding from the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA).
The final decision is decided by public vote on the EOCA website, with the project with most votes in each category receiving funding for their project.
Spokesman for RSPB Scotland said:
"While all the projects shortlisted in the Nature category are incredibly worthwhile, we are (of course!) backing ours and ask if you could take a moment to do the same."
Some of the reasons why a vote for 'Restoring the Peatland of the Flow Country, Scotland' is so important:
- The Flow Country is an awe inspiring place - you can see for miles across the vast landscape
- Much of the landscape is made of blanket bog - a globally rare habitat, home to many special plants and animals
- The peatland here is the UK's largest terrestrial carbon store and is vitally important to help tackle climate change
- Its importance is highlighted by the fact that UNESCO is currently considering awarding the Flow Country World Heritage Site status.
Non-native forestry plantations were planted across the Flow Country in the 1970s and 1980s causing a lot of damage, with the peat drying out and eroding away. The project in the running for EOCA funding is focused on one area - the Dyke Plantation - and if successful, will be part of a programme of restoration under the Flows to the Future project.
The funding will enable the project to clear 3.64 ha of trees, remove the timber and re-create the open peatland environment. Drains in the ground will be blocked, helping to restore the water table level. This work will be monitored, to see how the wildlife benefits, as well as calculate the carbon saving made.
Option to vote here.
