Peatland ACTION funding primarily supports on-the-ground peatland restoration activities. This includes installation of peat dams in man-made ditches to increase water levels, allowing the peat-building mosses, called sphagnums, to re-establish. It also supports more novel techniques, such as peat hag re-vegetating by using the surrounding vegetation to stabilise the bare eroding peat.

Contact NatureScot's Peatland ACTION team to discuss your application. The project officers will support you to develop your project, help you understand the Peatland ACTION Fund and assist you with completing your application and supporting information.

Before applying, applicants should read the funding guidance to check whether their proposed restoration activities meet the outcome and eligibility requirements. 

There are no geographical restrictions or target areas for Peatland Action funding.

The majority of the peatland within a project area must have a peat depth of over 50cm, but peat depths down to 30cm will be considered for restoration if they form an intrinsic component of the peat hydrological unit.

Fens containing peat will be considered.

Generally, projects should be greater than 10 hectares, with a cost over £10,000.

If you have a smaller project, please consider linking with other landholders to create a larger project. Peatland ACTION project officers can support you in developing larger proposals.

Peatland ACTION will not fund application preparation costs, activities considered to be state aid, contingency costs, event catering and the use of helicopters (under most circumstances).

Please also refer to the fund eligibility criteria, and the guidance on outcomes and priorities for action, for a full list of what isn't funded.

Projects carrying out peatland restoration activities.

Eligible projects can be anywhere in Scotland, ranging in size from 10 hectares to large-scale projects running over multiple years.

Once your application is received, it will be assessed by a funding officer. Timescales for a decision will vary depending on demand and the complexity of your proposal. If you haven’t provided all the information needed to complete the assessment, it will take longer to reach a decision.

If your application is successful, you’ll receive a funding offer which you will have 30 days to accept. Once accepted, a start date will be agreed.

For delivery on the ground in the financial year 2021/22, your application must have been submitted no later than midnight on 30 September 2021. You will still be able to submit applications for future years’ funding after this date.

Applications are encouraged at any time, but you should apply as soon as possible before your intended start date. This is to allow time to complete the assessment and decision making in good time for you to start your project.

If you are interested in developing peatland restoration projects, please contact the Peatland ACTION team at peatlandaction@nature.scot.

The project officers will help you to develop your project, understand the Peatland ACTION Fund and complete your application and supporting information.