The 'truly outstanding' Scottish bog in the Highlands that has won world heritage status

It is one of the rarest habitats in the world, boasting some of the most intact and extensive blanket bog systems today, dotted with pools and home to an abundance of rare wildlife.

The Flow Country, straddling 200,000 hectares of the Highlands, has finally been awarded with world heritage status.

After almost 40 years of campaigning, the stunning patchwork of peatland, bog and rare flora and fauna, which stretches across Caithness and Sutherland, has won the award from Unesco.

Achieving world heritage status is a rare honour - it is for places recognised on the global stage for outstanding cultural, historical, natural or scientific significance.

The Flow Country is Scotland’s first natural world heritage, joining a global list that includes the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef.

It also joins other Scottish world heritage sites awarded for culture - the Neolithic Heart of Orkney, New Lanark, The Antonine Wall, the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh and the Forth Bridge, while St Kilda is one of the few World Heritage Sites to hold mixed status for its cultural and natural qualities.

The Flow Country is considered to be of outstanding importance because of the role it plays in storing about 400 million tonnes of carbon in the north of Scotland. The area’s amorphous expanse of peatland forms part of a larger 400,000 hectares of blanket bog, making it the biggest type of habitat of its kind in Europe.

Blanket bog grows where precipitation exceeds evaporation. In such places of perpetual dampness, the plants build up to form layers of peat, which can reach 10m thick, packed with plant fossils, midge remains, and ash blown south from Icelandic volcanoes. This habitat can help have a cooling effect on the planet.

But its importance is also linked to the home it provides for a diverse range of wildlife, including golden eagles, red-throated divers and short-eared owls.

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.”

Scottish and UK government ministers also welcomed the decision, with UK culture minister Sir Chris Bryant hailing the Flow Country as “one of our most precious resources”.

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.”