Scottish peat bog granted world heritage status

A large area of peatland in the north of Scotland that stores around 400 million tonnes of carbon has been granted world heritage status.

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

Widely considered to be the largest area of blanket bog in the world, it covers around 1,500 square miles in Caithness and Sutherland.

The honour was announced at the 46th session of the organisation’s World Heritage Committee, making the Flow Country the UK’s 34th world heritage site.

It is the first natural world heritage site in Scotland, joining a global list that includes the Grand Canyon in the United States and