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High above the more verdant forests and farmlands, Urlar plays host to an expansive peatland. It is a home to bird, wild mammals, and plant life, requiring care and attention to maximise its usefulness as a habitat for the future.

We see a great opportunity to help restore large areas of the Urlar peatland over the coming decades. Restoring the totality of our degrated peatland creates a richer, more complete home for the wildlife who call it home (and for the local community to enjoy).

Restoring degraded peatland is also a fantastic way of trapping CO2 and making the air we all breath a little cleaner.

Red Grouse

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Red Deer

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Geese

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Heather

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A healthy, consciously managed peatland is good for all of us. Once restored, the Urlar peatlands will store substantial quantities of carbon, create a home for wildlife, and provide excellent grazing for the sheep who call Urlar home.

Much of the preparation to restore large areas of our peatland is well underway under the supervision of Caledonian Climate Partners. Our single-phase restoration is repairing nearly 350 hectares of peatland, with 17km of hag reprofiling and 57km of dam and reprofiling.

Do you have a question about our peatland restoration, or want to know more about how this might benefit the wider community?

Contact Us

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Heather

Heather is synonymous with the Scottish landscape, changing the colour of our hillsides with the seasons. It is also a vital habitat for wildlife, and requires considered management.

Heather is woody-stemmed and evergreen, and typically grows up to 60 cm. tall, although in good conditions it can reach 100 cm., or exceptionally 120 cm., in height, and can live for 30 years. Each shrub has multiple branches, which are often intertwined. The branches can take root individually at their bases, and have numerous short side shoots. 

Because of its abundance, heather forms a food source for a large number of organisms. The majority of these are insects, including beetles, flies and bugs, and other invertebrates such as spiders. Heather is also important as a food source for a variety of bird species, including the red grouse, which feeds on the shoots, flowers, and seeds.