Historical Context

For centuries, the peatlands remained largely intact thanks to generations of traditional land management. In the 1920s, however, some planting of non-native conifer trees started. Later in the 1950s and 1960s, a network of hill drains were dug to improve the bog for agricultural purposes. In the 1970s, the peatlands experienced landscape scale changes as new technology allowed areas of deeper peat to be planted. Particularly on the wetter areas, these activities caused a direct loss of habitat as well as damage to adjacent areas. However, during the 1980s, the international importance of the peatlands became increasingly clear. Since then, the challenge has been to restore some of the damaged areas and to create a more appropriate balance between birds, bogs and forest.

Background

A high proportion of the active blanket bog in the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands SAC is in excellent condition. However, parts of the SAC are being seriously damaged because of past activities (afforestation, drainage) and to a lesser extent by ongoing management practices (e.g. grazing, burning). The greatest threats to the SAC are from forestry plantations which lie outside, but adjacent to the SAC boundary, and the extensive network of drains on the SAC. Action was urgently required if damage to the SAC caused by afforestation and drainage was to be halted. Erosion deepens and widens drains over time, increasing the damage they cause. Ongoing management activities were damaging the surface vegetation. This eventually leads to the loss of flora, fauna and peat. Poor management of areas important for breeding and feeding birds was also reducing the conservation value of the SPA. The SAC and SPA were also threatened by the lack of a clear, agreed vision for their future.

This project came about following on from the successful LIFE-Nature project B4-3200/94/770 'Conservation of active blanket bogs in Scotland and Northern Ireland', in which many of the techniques for restoration management were trialled. Such was the success of this project The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Forest Enterprise (FE), Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) and Plantlife put together a successful follow-up application to the EU in 2000 for a project that would ultimately see the above threats addressed so that the future conservation status of the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands SAC/SPA will be secured.

Objectives of the Project

The overall project objective was to see the restoration of 18,300 ha of the highest priority areas in and around the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands SAC/SPA together with the establishment of financial and procedural mechanisms for land use.

Overview of Project Management

The Royal Society fro the Protection of Birds (RSPB) was the lead partner (beneficiary) in this project with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Forest Enterprise (FE), Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) and Plantlife as partners. The project was run by a full time Project Manager who worked to a Steering Group consisting of partner representatives. The Project team consisted of Partner staff at office and site locations throughout the project area. Throughout the project, the Project Manager kept in close touch with all project staff as appropriate and maintained a watching brief on all actions as scheduled.

Results

List of Key Deliverables and Outputs

Summary of Results by Action Codes

Preparatory work progressed well throughout the project. The Land Use Review (A1) was well disseminated and proved a useful reference document during the development of the Management Strategy (A7). The bird and habitat assessment surveys (A2 and A3 respectively) were much needed preparatory actions which will serve as essential baselines by which to measure the level of habitat and bird recoveries following the programme of work. Environmental Impact Assessments (A4) were carried out for all felling work, with the first two proposals requiring full Environmental Statements. Forest Enterprise's peatland survey (A5) proved an essential action to guide where to prioritise their tree felling work; while, similarly, SNH's Peatland Audit (A6) helped confirm where all current and future restoration activities should be focussed.

Land acquisition was a particularly successful output in this project. The required acquisition of 2 275 ha of active blanket bog (B1) at Dorrery was completed in the very first month of the project (Mar-01); while the required acquisition of 900 ha of afforested blanket bog (B2) was completed (971 ha in total) in Mar-03. In Jun-04, the project was given EU approval for an 'additional clause' to allow the further acquisition of 585 ha (at no extra cost to the original budget). This took the project's forestry acquisition output to a total of 1,556 ha - a 73% increase in the original target.

The focus of the project was very much habitat restoration and this was on a large scale. Tree felling work (and forest drainblocking) saw both RSPB and FE fell a total of 2,070 ha (C4, C5, C7, C8, C9); with FCS contributing a further 170 ha (C10) through their Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme. Hill drain blocking saw significant contributions from RSPB (C1, C2) with a total of 13,939 ha; Plantlife (C3) with 1,300 ha, and SNH (C13) with a further 370 ha through their Peatland Management Scheme. Fence removal/realignment was carried out by RSPB (C6) and Plantlife (C11, C12) with a total of 11,820 m.

The project had a long list of E Actions to deliver and did well to achieve this. Specific outputs included signage (E1), website (E2), annual newsletters (E8) and a range of leaflets/publications (E6, E7, E15, E16, E17). Regular media releases (E9) and ongoing demonstration activities formed a core part of the awareness raising work. The project was concluded with a high profile conference 'The Peatlands - A Brigher Future' (E12) with over 80 delegates.

Project management has gone well with regular steering group meetings (F2), reports delivered and the financial situation closely monitored. The monitoring programme of biological parameters has delivered vital information about the recovery of the blanket bog. This monitoring will be continued. Where the monitoring has indicated issues at a site, further investigation will be carried out and remedial actions will be identified.

Evaluation and Conclusions

This project has worked well because of the strength of the partnership and the sound project management structures established right from the start. It also benefited from a thoroughly prepared project application with a clearly defined rationale and a strategic approach. In terms of deliverables, the project has been very successful with significantly more habitat outputs than what was an already ambitious target at the outset. An important factor in this has been the innovation of contractors continually trying to improve restoration techniques as the trees grow bigger.

The project has consistently maintained a high profile - both at local and national level. Although some of this is down to the regular promotion of Forsinard Reserve through RSPB, much credit should also be given to the diligent work of project staff delivering the many E Actions through the project itself. One of the biggest indicators of the success of this work (at a local level) has been through the series of Attitudes and Awareness Studies (1996, 2002, 2006) which has shown significant changes in people's opinion and attitudes towards the support of conserving the peatlands.

Almost 6 years on from the start of this programme of work, there is clear evidence to show that the overall project objectives have either been delivered, or are on their way to being delivered. In terms of habitat restoration, 18,896 ha exceeds our target by almost 1,200 ha - and this at no extra cost to the project. In terms of the strategy, this was, in many ways, the biggest and most important output for this project. For the first time in the history of the Caithness and Sutherland peatlands, we have a document which describes a sustainable future for the area, a document which not only has the support and input of the full range of land use interests, but also the Scottish Executive. This document serves as another significant step forward to ensuring that the future conservation status of the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands SAC/SPA is secured.

There have been a number of direct and indirect benefits. The project has directly contributed to the restoration of almost 19,000 ha of blanket bog on, or impacting on, the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands SAC/SPA. The socio-economic effects of this project have been significant with over £1.1 million of cash paid to around 25 contractors; 4 full-time quality jobs, assisted by contributions by another 46 other staff - most of whom living and working in Caithness and Sutherland. However, it must be added that the contract work was 'short term' and that future restoration contract work remains, as ever, contingent on funding. Despite this, the long term economic and social benefits appear positive too. The growth of RSPB's Forsinard Reserve and the associated staffing increase; the sustained number of jobs in Caithness and Sutherland in conservation organisations; and the continued development of the area as a visitor resource, all point towards a longer term economic benefit to the area.

Conservation Plan

Whilst a Conservation Plan is not a requirement for this project, the sustainability of this project has been assured by one of its key outputs: The Peatlands of Caithness and Sutherland Management Strategy: 2005 - 2015. This document is very much an agreed vision for the future with a long list of actions to ensure that the work of two LIFE Projects (since 1994) does not end in 2007, but continues to address the remaining threats affecting this natura site and, by doing so, securing its conservation status for the future.