The Flow Country, a vast peat bog that covers much of Caithness and Sutherland has become the world’s first peatland World Heritage Site.
It becomes Scotland’s first World Heritage Site inscribed for purely natural criteria, and the first in mainland UK for the global importance of its natural ecosystems.
It joins the Serengeti, the Galapagos Islands, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Everglades as natural areas securing UNESCO World Heritage site status for their incredible ecosystems.
The Flow Country is a vast peat bog that covers much of Caithness and Sutherland in the north of Scotland and stores approximately 400 million tonnes of carbon – more than all the UK’s forests and woodlands combined. It is called blanket bog because it covers the landscape like a blanket and is a type of habitat that is globally rare, but one that is ideally suited to Scotland’s climate and maritime location.
The 4,000 sq. km area is home to a hugely complex and fragile ecosystem with a vast array of plants that act as an important defence against climate change. The carbon stored by a 9,000-year accumulation of dead vegetation in the form of peat acts as a carbon sink. This sequesters (traps) and stores carbon, preventing it being released into the atmosphere, helping to prevent further emissions. It is also an internationally important place for wildlife, including upland breeding birds like red-throated diver, golden plover and greenshank.
Forsinard Flow
The Flow Country Partnership, the collaboration of experts, community representatives and agencies behind the successful bid, has been shaping its nomination since 2020 and has completed extensive community engagement and consultation to inform the bid.
A place of global significance in the fight against climate change, the status unlocks opportunities for the north of Scotland including green jobs
Find out more about the Flow CountryThe Flow Country is a fascinating region of Scotland and a vital part of our natural environment, so it’s wonderful news that the area has achieved UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
World Heritage status acknowledges a place’s global value and its protection for the future and Flow Country will join our already illustrious list of World Heritage Sites across Scotland.
By working with our industry partners, we believe the UNESCO designation for the Flow Country will support sustainable and responsible tourism across Caithness and Sutherland, with the interests of the local environment and communities at its heart.
Slow tourism will be a key part of that activity, whereby visitors are encouraged to take their time to fully explore the area, act responsibly, and immerse themselves in the culture and natural environment.
This marks the start of an exciting future for this special part of Caithness and Sutherland, and we hope it will further enhance our ambition for Scotland to become a sustainable tourism destination that benefits all.