On Friday UNESCO announced its long-awaited decision that the Flow Country, a large expanse of blanket bog in the north of Scotland, had been inscribed as the world’s first World Heritage Site peatland. An area of deep peat, dotted with bog pools, that blankets much of Caithness and Sutherland, the site is critically important for peatland biodiversity and carbon storage. The Flow Country is the largest expanse of blanket bog in Europe, covering around 200,000 hectares, and is considered the most outstanding example of an actively accumulating blanket bog landscape.

UNESCO states: 

“This peatland ecosystem, which has been accumulating for the past 9,000 years, provides a diversity of habitats home to a distinct combination of bird species and displays a remarkable diversity of features not found anywhere else on Earth”.  

The bogs of the Flow Country have been on the tentative list of WHS since 1999. The Flows become Scotland’s first World Heritage Site inscribed for purely natural criteria, and the first on the UK mainland for the global importance of its natural ecosystem. As a place of global significance in the fight against climate change, the newly awarded status unlocks opportunities for the north of Scotland, including green jobs to restore and sustainably manage the area’s peatlands. 

Emma Hinchliffe, Director of the IUCN UK Peatland Programme says:

“I am delighted to receive the news that the WHS designation for the Flow Country peatlands has finally been approved. It has been a long time coming and on behalf of the IUCN UK Peatland Programme I would like to offer a heartfelt congratulations to all involved in achieving this accolade. I am sure it will offer real future benefits for the conservation and long-term sustainable management of the peatlands in this area. I have been lucky to spend a few weeks conducting field work at Forsinard in the heart of the Flows and it is truly a special place. On first glance it appears breathtakingly empty with the biggest skies, but on closer inspection is teeming with a variety of weird and wonderful wildlife that is becoming so rare in the UK.”  

Stuart Brooks, Chair of the IUCN UK Peatland Programme says:

“The global peatland community is hugely excited to see this recognition for one of the world’s most important peatland ecosystems. This colourful, enigmatic landscape, like all peatlands of this scale, is a world apart from most people’s experience but one which touches the heart of any visitor and will stay with them forever. I hope more people are encouraged to visit peatlands as a result of this declaration and the resulting love, respect and understanding for these unique and valuable places bolsters their conservation.” 

Richard Lindsay, Senior Research Advisor to the IUCN UK Peatland Programme says:

“This is such an incredible turnaround of events and such fantastic news for the people of Caithness and Sutherland.  Half a century ago the area was considered a 'bleak and worthless wet desert', good only for draining, digging up or planting with monoculture conifers.  Those of us who argued for the very special nature of this place were met with incredulity, ridicule or outright hostility.  However, the years since then have witnessed a growing understanding of the global significance of this place, its huge role in carbon capture and storage, its vital function in providing pure water for its rivers, and the truly remarkable nature of its biodiversity - entire landscapes carpeted by the carbon-hungry Sphagnum bog mosses supporting species of both the tundra and the gentler south.  The complete turnaround in the way we - and the world - now see this most northerly part of mainland Britain offers hope and real sustainable opportunity for the landscape, its wildlife and its people."