RSPB Scotland is said to be finalising plans to restore large sections of peat bog in the Flow Country of Caithness and Sutherland.

According to the BBC, the charity aims to secure millions of pounds worth of Lottery funding for the work at its reserve in Forsinard.

The proposed work includes the removal of commercial forestry plantations from the bog land.

Dr Pete Mayhew, who is leading the project, said the Flow Country was one of the largest bogs in the world.

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He added: "It's enormous. It is about half a million hectares of bog land.

"It looks a bit flat and dreary, but when you get down into it you find a whole range of plants not found anywhere else, insects that are not found anywhere else and the birds are superb as well."

Last year, 10 Councillors failed in a bid to stop £10,000 of Highland Council funds going to an RSPB Scotland peatland restoration project at Forsinard.

The Councillors had tried to block the money from the council's Landfill Community Fund.

However, at a meeting of the full council, the bid was rejected.

The money was then used by the charity to help cover the cost of blocking up open drains in parts of the reserve.

(JP/CD)