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Our work here
8 August 2011
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This reserve forms part of the largest expanse of blanket bog in the world, and also has moorland, grassland and in-bye fields. It protects rare breeding birds, as well as important invertebrates, mammals and plants, and two scheduled monuments.
Much peatland has been lost in recent decades to commercial land uses, such as forestry. The RSPB is working to restore this habitat and to influence future peatland management nationwide.
Boosting bogs
We are managing the blanket bog for special flora and fauna, including waders, water birds and raptors. We are looking after existing bog, while restoring up to 2,200 ha of drained bog by blocking hill drains. We are also converting forestry back to blanket bog by removing at least 900 ha of trees adjacent to the reserve.
Working with water
We are working to enhance the reserve’s pools for the benefit of waterfowl, including black-throated diver and common scoter, as well as plants, fish and invertebrates. Work includes reinstating water levels and improving water quality.
Uplands and farmland
We are using controlled grazing to manage the montane habitat on Ben Griam Beg, which supports scarce plants such as Alpine bearberry, while maintaining other moorland for breeding birds, including hen harriers and merlins.
We are also helping the farmer to manage in-bye grassland for the benefit of breeding waders, including golden plover, dunlin and lapwing, by grazing for optimum sward heights during the breeding season. Other key farmland birds such as twites and skylarks, also benefit from this work.
Finding out more
We will carefully monitor the blanket bog restoration scheme and the populations of key breeding birds. We will also monitor everything from stock numbers to the impact of fishing and grazing by deer, and will conduct research into erosion, climate change and carbon balance. Our findings will inform future management.
People appeal
We are developing our facilities and educational programme, and aim to attract 6,000 visitors per year. We are also building good working relations with neighbours and stakeholders, and will use the reserve to demonstrate peatland restoration to key audiences. We thus hope to influence the management of other UK peatlands and raise national awareness of this habitat.
How you can help
The life is being sucked out of the Flow Country. You can do something to help - for all the birds and other wildlife whose existence depends on this unique peatland habitat
Give a gift today to ensure we can undo the damage before it's too late