From coal trains to carbon stores: restoring Scotland's peatlands without erasing the past
Forestry and Land Scotland’s (FLS) peatland restoration programme is showing how nature recovery can work with, rather than erase, the legacy of the past.
Across a number of sites, historic railway routes left behind by Scotland’s Industrial Revolution are being retained rather than removed, reflecting a practical approach that protects fragile peatland habitats while preserving a tangible link to the landscapes’ history.
While restoring damaged peatlands is critical for carbon storage, biodiversity and water management, FLS says removing old railway embankments and beds can sometimes cause greater disturbance to fragile peatland habitats than leaving them in place.
Historic railways at sites across central Scotland including Flanders Moss, Coalburn Moss and Heathland Moss once carried slate, coal and passengers across the country's wetlands. Today, they are prompting fresh discussion about how environmental restoration can coexist with industrial heritage.
Simon Turner, Rainforest and Peatland Project Coordinator for FLS, said:
"People often assume that restoring a peatland means returning it to exactly how it looked before human intervention, but restoration is rarely that simple.
"In some locations, removing the remains of historic railway lines could damage the peat we're trying to protect. The challenge is finding the best outcome for the habitat while recognising that these landscapes have centuries of human history written into them.
"These railways once helped drive Scotland's industrial growth. Today, they sit within landscapes that are recovering their ability to store carbon, support wildlife and manage water naturally. That's a powerful story of change."
Across Scotland, peatlands are moving from being landscapes shaped by drainage, mining, forestry and industry towards functioning ecosystems once again.
Many of these former railway routes have also taken on a new role with some now forming part of forest road networks and providing access for walkers and cyclists.
Mr Turner added:
“Restoration does not mean erasing that history. Instead, the remains of old railway lines can help tell the story of how Scotland's landscapes have evolved, from ancient peatlands to industrial engines of change and now to important nature restoration projects.”
As FLS continues its programme of landscape-scale nature restoration, sites such as Flanders Moss demonstrate how recovering ecosystems and preserving evidence of the past can go hand in hand.
Notes to editors
- Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) manages forests and land owned by Scottish Ministers in a way that supports and enables economically sustainable forestry; conserves and enhances the environment; delivers benefits for people and nature; and supports Scottish Ministers in their stewardship of Scotland's national forests and land.
- Media enquiries to media@forestryandland.gov.scot