Caithness and Sutherland peatland granted world heritage status

The flow country covers around 1,500 square miles of the Far North

A large area of peatland across Caithness and Sutherland has been granted world heritage status – a decision hailed as a “momentous moment”.

The area known as the Flow Country has become the UK’s newest Unesco world heritage site, and is the first peatland site anywhere in the world to be given such status.

Heritage chiefs recognised the importance of the area, which is widely considered to be the largest area of blanket bog in the world and covers around 1,500 square miles of the Far North.

The honour was announced at the 46th session of the organisation’s World Heritage Committee, and it makes the Flow Country the UK’s 35 world heritage site.

It is the first natural world heritage site in Scotland, joining a global list that includes the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef.

The Flow Country is the seventh world heritage site in Scotland, with the others the Antonine Wall, Neolithic Orkney, New Lanark, the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh, St Kilda and the Forth Bridge.

The site is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including golden eagles, red-throated divers and short-eared owls.

It is considered to be of outstanding importance because of the home it provides for such species and for the role it plays in storing about 400 million tonnes of carbon in the north of Scotland.

Graham Neville, head of operations in the North of Scotland for nature body NatureScot, led the bid for the Flow Country to be recognised.

He said: “World heritage status for the Flow Country is a momentous moment for Scotland’s people and their beloved landscape.

“This successful bid is testament to the hard work and determination of the Flow Country world heritage project team as well as community members, scientific experts, businesses, landowners and public bodies from across the Flow Country who have been so generous with their time, knowledge and expertise to shape the bid for the benefit of the whole area.

“World heritage site status will lead to greater understanding of the Flow Country and raise the profile of Scotland’s peatlands globally for their value as biodiverse habitats and important carbon sinks.

“It is a wonderful recognition of the expert stewardship of farmers and crofters in maintaining this incredible ecosystem as a natural legacy for future generations.”

Acting Scottish Government Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin said: “This is a truly momentous day for Caithness and Sutherland, and indeed Scotland as a whole.

“The Flow Country is an area of truly outstanding natural beauty and its diverse ecosystems and peatlands are a vital part of our efforts to combat climate change and nature loss.

“This new global prominence will help preserve the area for many generations to come.”

Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said: “The Flow Country is a fascinating region of Scotland and a vital part of our natural environment, so it’s wonderful news that the area has achieved UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

“World Heritage status acknowledges a place’s global value and its protection for the future and Flow Country will join our already illustrious list of World Heritage Sites across Scotland.

“By working with our industry partners, we believe the UNESCO designation for the Flow Country will support sustainable and responsible tourism across Caithness & Sutherland, with the interests of the local environment and communities at its heart.

“Slow tourism will be a key part of that activity, whereby visitors are encouraged to take their time to fully explore the area, act responsibly, and immerse themselves in the culture and natural environment.

“This marks the start of an exciting future for this special part of Caithness & Sutherland, and we hope it will further enhance our ambition for Scotland to become a sustainable tourism destination that benefits all.”