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TENT pioneers carbon capture programme in Scottish Highland's peatlands
Working with its partners Forest Carbon Ltd and the Crichton Carbon Centre in Dumfries, TENT has launched "Peatlands+".
In a pioneering Carbon Capture initiative focusing on the vast peatland areas of the Scottish Highlands, we are delighted that two companies have taken up the first 25,000t CO2e in the "Peatlands+" initiative. How does it work? Approximately 50 years ago, man decided that he could open up huge additional grazing areas for sheep, cattle and deer by attempting to drain the vast peatlands of the Scottish Highlands by putting in some 800,000 miles of drains. This massive grant-led exercise has resulted in some 10mt CO2 escaping into the atmosphere on an annual basis, huge degradation of the natural habitat and a serious decline in the water quality of the once pristine river systems that has seen the fresh water pearl mussel become almost extinct.
The Crichton Carbon Centre, RSKERA and LandForm Research have conducted comprehensive research on the Alladale Wilderness Reserve that has acted as the testbed for this exciting project. Jointly, they have developed a methodology for the restoration of the drains that will see the peatland's re-wetted, a process that will enable the carbon to become trapped once again. Calculations are then made by our experts to the amount of CO2 that can be saved.
The "+" in Peatlands+ represents all the environmental co-benefits of the project. What is most important is that 75% of the net revenues of the project will be directed into our charity (TENT) to further our conservation and educational ambitions both in the Scottish Highlands and the Romanian Carpathians.
