Ridge Carbon Capture hosts Walk and Talk on peatland restoration and river re-meandering in Kirriemuir

Aiming to promote environmental education and enjoy beautiful peatland scenery, Ridge Carbon Capture (RCC), in partnership with Barker & Bland, River South Esk Catchment Partnership (RSECP), and the Rottal Estate, recently organised an informative Walk and Talk event for the local community group, Sustainable Kirriemuir.

The event, held at the picturesque Rottal Estate in Kirriemuir, Angus, offered walkers from the local community and beyond a chance to learn about crucial peatland and river restoration projects and enjoy a lovely day out.

The guided visit took the group through the extensive peatland restoration efforts undertaken at Ridge Rottal, one of RCC’s notable projects supported by the Peatland ACTION Fund. With over 20% of Scotland’s territory comprising peatlands, restoration projects are essential for safeguarding natural ecosystems and combating climate change.

Rebecca Renfrew, Community Partnership Lead at Ridge Carbon Capture, highlighted the project’s importance: “The majority of the UK’s peatlands are in Scotland; peatland covers nearly two million hectares of Scottish territory, making Scotland one of the richest countries in Europe for peat. Understanding the function of peatland ecosystems in the carbon cycle is so important. Protecting this resource is crucial in helping to reduce their contribution to the impacts of climate change. Today was a wonderful opportunity to bring together locals and members of the partnership to learn about restoration projects, enjoy beautiful nature, and share inspiration and enthusiasm for our work.”

Ann Warren, representing the Action for Nature community group of Sustainable Kirriemuir, said: “I enjoyed joining the Walk and Talk organised by RCC to learn more about peatlands. We saw how it can become degraded and how it can be restored to hold carbon and for the benefit of wildlife and upland species. It was a rewarding and stimulating day for all attendees and brilliant to see how the Ridge Rottal project is already benefiting the local community through education and engagement with local groups such as Sustainable Kirriemuir.”

The event commenced at Rottal Steading, where participants walked along the River Esk, observing the re-meandering work carried out by the RSECP. They then explored areas of the Estate where peatland restoration is in progress.

Dee Ward, owner of Rottal Estate and Chair of Scottish Land & Estates, welcomed the community group, stating, “We were pleased to welcome Sustainable Kirriemuir to the Estate and show them firsthand the work we are doing for climate and nature. Restoring degraded peatlands on the estate, restoring wetlands, and re-meandering rivers – these are all part of our ambition to create and manage a rural estate that is sustainable, nature-friendly and uses nature-based solutions to create resilience to flooding and other extreme weather events. With the support from NatureScot Peatland ACTION and our partners at Ridge Carbon Capture, we can help local communities, local businesses, and help the natural environment thrive.”

Ridge Carbon Capture is working closely with Barker & Bland, an environmental contracting company specialising in peatland restoration, to execute the restoration efforts at Ridge Rottal. Dr. Darrell Smith from Barker & Bland elaborated on the work carried out in spring 2024, emphasising the broader benefits of these restoration initiatives: “Restoring Scottish peatlands offers a clear nature-based solution to the climate crisis by locking in carbon, enhancing biodiversity, improving water quality in the River Esk, and mitigating flood risk.”