Pause pressed on peat bog project

First phase of 400-hectare restoration complete

- KAIYA MARJORIBANKS

Scottish Water has completed work on the first phase of a major 400-hectare peat restoration project at Loch Katrine, aimed at protecting the water quality for more than one million customers in and around Glasgow.

Since work commenced in January, over 50 hectares of peatland has now been restored, reducing the amount of organic material that can be washed into the loch during periods of heavy rainfall.

Work will now pause due to the bird nesting season until October but is set to continue seasonally across the entire catchment surrounding the loch over the next decade totaling over 400 hectares by the end of the project.

The restoration work is focusing on reducing the number of manmade drains and areas of bare peat across the catchment, by blocking up ditches and reprofiling peat hags to enable water to be held within the land again instead of washing straight off into the loch.