Scottish peat bog joins Victoria Falls and Grand Canyon as a World Heritage Site

Peat bogs are wetlands filled with partially decayed vegetation, with the Flow Country 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.

The announcement on Friday made the Flow Country the UK’s 35th World Heritage Site, and the first natural one in mainland Scotland, joining a global list that includes the Grand Canyon, the Great Barrier Reef, Victoria Falls and the Galapagos Islands.

‘Beloved landscape’

Graham Neville, of the government agency NatureScot, said the award of Unesco status was a “momentous moment for Scotland’s people and their beloved landscape”.

He added: “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.”