£22 million fund for peatland restoration projects is open until September for applications.

This is the next stage of the ten-year, £250 million package announced by the Scottish Government in February 2020, and underlines the essential contribution that restoring degraded peatland makes to addressing the twin crises of the global climate emergency and biodiversity loss.

Peatland restoration is a key part of the Scottish Government’s goal of achieving a net-zero Scotland by 2045 at the latest.

As well as smaller projects, the 2021 funding round has been expanded also to welcome large-scale schemes over multiple years, enabling more flexible planning of projects and providing longer-term confidence to those looking to invest in people and machinery to undertake works on the ground.

Environment and Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “Restoration of degraded peatland is a vital nature based solution to protecting Scotland’s biodiversity and ensuring we end our contribution to climate change, as well as supporting skilled land-based jobs in rural communities across Scotland.

“I am delighted that for the first time we can now invite multi-year projects that can overcome some of the barriers to significantly boosting rates of restoration, and look forward to this funding round injecting fresh impetus.”

Applications can be made up to September 30 and are open to all landowners or managers.

https://www.nature.scot/climate-change/nature-based-solutions/peatland-action-project