Torrish Phase 1
Highland
Added on 02/10/2025
Overview
Description
The Torrish Phase 1 peatland restoration project is located near Helmsdale in the Highlands. Covering 236.83 hectares of upland blanket bog at approximately 400 metres elevation, the site included extensive areas of actively eroding and drained peatland, with features such as gullies, hagg formations, and historic peat cuttings. In late May 2025, excavators tracked slowly onto the high ground at Torrish Estate. What lay ahead was more than a construction programme, it was the careful repair of a landscape that had been losing peat, water and carbon for decades. This was Torrish Estate Phase 1: a peatland restoration project developed following a Peatland ACTION funded feasibility study by Caledonian Climate Partners, and delivered in partnership with Peatland ACTION, the Torrish Estate, and Angus Estate Plant Ltd (AEP Contracts). Over the months that followed, the focus was clear: to slow water, stabilise peat, and help this blanket bog begin its journey back towards a healthy, functioning ecosystem. Working west to east across the site, up to five machines carefully reshaped the peatland — reprofiling haggs and gullies, zipping artificial drains, installing wave dams, and restoring peat banks. Area-based techniques such as surface bunding, turving and micro-erosion repair helped reconnect water with the land. Throughout the works, nature set the pace. Breeding bird and protected species buffers shaped daily decision-making, with space left for golden plover, black-throated divers, water vole and otter. At times, machines stood still while ecologists reassessed access routes and buffers, a reminder that restoration is as much about restraint as it is about action. Even the site’s history demanded care. A World War II aircraft crash site was protected and respected, with Ministry of Defence licensed works completed under a watching brief. Ecological delays could have stalled progress, but collaboration kept the project moving. AEP Contracts increased machine numbers, access impacts were minimised and reinstated, and quality remained consistently high. Final inspections confirmed all works were delivered to specification and built to last. By completion, 236.83 hectares of blanket bog had been restored. As the site recovers, peat loss will reduce, stored carbon will be protected, and biodiversity is expected to shift towards species typical of near-natural bog habitats. This project is a reminder that successful restoration isn’t rushed. It’s built on good science, careful timing, and people willing to adapt, all working with the landscape, not against it. The project is aligned with the Peatland Code and is expected to deliver a claimable emissions reduction of 37,732 tCO2e over its 80-year lifetime. It supports several UN Sustainable Development Goals, including climate action (SDG 13), sustainable water management (SDG 6), and protection of terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15). Additional benefits include enhanced biodiversity, improved water quality, reduced wildfire risk, and protection against drought through increased water retention. The site sits within the Ben Griams Special Landscape Area and lies adjacent to the River Naver Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC), enhancing the project’s ecological importance. By restoring this remote peatland, Torrish Phase 1 contributes to landscape-scale climate resilience and long-term habitat recovery in a region of national environmental significance.
Location
Scotland
Area characteristics:
Total Forecast Emission Reduction:
37,732 tCO2e
| Verification year | Number of units (tCO2e) | Unit type | Validation and Verification Body |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 September 2030 | 2,358 | Pending Issuance Units (PIUs) | Soil Association |
| 29 September 2040 | 4,716 | Pending Issuance Units (PIUs) | Soil Association |
| 29 September 2050 | 4,716 | Pending Issuance Units (PIUs) | Soil Association |
| 29 September 2060 | 4,717 | Pending Issuance Units (PIUs) | Soil Association |
| 29 September 2070 | 4,717 | Pending Issuance Units (PIUs) | Soil Association |
| 29 September 2080 | 4,717 | Pending Issuance Units (PIUs) | Soil Association |
| 29 September 2090 | 4,717 | Pending Issuance Units (PIUs) | Soil Association |
| 29 September 2100 | 4,716 | Pending Issuance Units (PIUs) | Soil Association |
| 29 September 2105 | 2,358 | Pending Issuance Units (PIUs) | Soil Association |
Torrish Phase 1
Restoration complete
Scale: 237 hectares
Forecast Emission Reduction:
37,732 tCO2e
37,732 tCO2e