Managing and restoring blanket bog to benefit biodiversity and carbon balance – a scoping study.

Blanket bogs in Scotland are a globally important resource that are protected under the EC Habitats Directive Annex I and are included in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) as a Priority Habitat. The UK BAP has a target for blanket bog restoration to halt the loss of biodiversity, of which Scotland's share is around 600,000 hectares. It is also clear that substantial carbon abatement is available through the restoration and wise management of the Scottish blanket bog resource, to enable Scotland to meet its targets for carbon emissions reduction.