Peatland is one of Scotland’s most distinctive landscapes—rich in history, wildlife, and environmental value. But decades of drainage, burning, and land misuse have left much of it damaged and no longer performing its essential ecological functions.
ICD Contracting Ltd works with estates, landowners, conservation bodies, and environmental organisations to restore peat back to healthy, functioning bogs. This work not only improves the landscape but also contributes directly to national climate and biodiversity goals.
1. Why Peatlands Matter More Than Most People Realise
Peat accumulates extremely slowly—around 1mm per year—but stores millions of tonnes of carbon beneath Scotland’s surface. When peat dries out, this carbon is released into the atmosphere, accelerating climate change.
Restoration reverses this. By blocking drainage channels and rewetting the land, ICD helps rebuild the conditions peat needs to form again, turning degraded areas back into long-term carbon sinks.
2. Bringing Water Back Is the First Step to Healing the Land
Healthy bogs are wet bogs. Over the years, old ditches and grips have drained water away from peatlands, leaving them cracked, eroded, and vulnerable.
ICD specialises in practical restoration techniques such as:
- peat dams
- plastic piling dams
- reprofiling eroded peat hags
- ditch blocking
- sphagnum moss reinstatement
These methods slow water loss, rehydrate the peat, and allow natural plant communities to return.
3. A Boost for Biodiversity and Rare Species
Peatlands support unique wildlife that cannot survive elsewhere. Species such as:
- golden plover
- mountain hare
- sundews
- sphagnum moss
- curlew
- dragonflies
depend on waterlogged ground and specialist vegetation. Once a bog dries out, these species disappear.
By restoring hydrology and re-establishing sphagnum, ICD helps bring these habitats back into balance and encourages wildlife to return.
4. Peatland Restoration Helps Prevent Flooding and Erosion
Degraded peat is easily washed away, creating deep gullies and unstable ground. This causes numerous issues:
- faster water flow into rivers
- increased flood risk downstream
- loss of fertile land
- silt entering water courses
Restored peatlands absorb rainwater much more slowly, acting like giant natural sponges. This stabilises the landscape and reduces the strain on river systems—especially during heavy rainfall events.
5. Supporting Scotland’s Landowners and Rural Communities
Peatland restoration provides meaningful benefits beyond the environmental ones. These include:
- new funding opportunities through peatland grants
- improved land resilience
- enhanced long-term land value
- opportunities for local employment
- improved access and safer terrain
ICD Contracting works closely with clients to deliver practical, cost-effective restoration solutions that meet grant requirements while improving the land’s future potential.
A Stronger, More Resilient Landscape for the Future
Peatland restoration is one of the most impactful actions Scotland can take for the environment. By returning bogs to their natural, water-rich state, ICD Contracting Ltd helps protect biodiversity, strengthen rural land, and support Scotland’s climate ambitions.
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