Researchers at the University of Stirling are collaborating with Scottish Water on a significant research project to gather data that will underscore the critical benefits of peatland restoration in the fight against climate change.

High-tech scientific monitoring equipment has been installed at two locations on land above Loch Katrine, where Scottish Water is undertaking one of its largest peatland restoration projects to date. This equipment will collect and compare data on the levels of carbon stored within healthy peatland versus areas that are dried out and degrading.

Additionally, a water quality monitoring buoy has been deployed directly onto Loch Katrine itself. This buoy will capture data on levels of dissolved carbon and other organic material washed into the loch from surrounding land, particularly during heavy rainfall events. A team of data scientists from the university will then analyse the long-term changes in the water quality of Loch Katrine in relation to the implemented peatland restoration work over the two-year duration of the research project.

Professor Jens-Arne Subke, one of the researchers on the project, stated: "Our objective is to understand and evaluate how successful the work to restore the peatland has been. With continuous monitoring, we are hoping to build up a good understanding of how fluxes of greenhouse gas and eroded peat in stream water changes over time following restoration."

-- Advertisement --

Peatland restoration involves reprofiling eroded peat faces to return the land to a more natural state. This promotes the growth of new vegetation and helps the peatland retain water, which is crucial for preventing peat and organic matter from washing into source waters and for capturing carbon from the atmosphere.

Scottish Water's restoration efforts at Loch Katrine began in January 2025, with over 50 hectares restored so far towards a goal of 400 hectares over the next decade. Work is currently paused for the bird nesting season and is expected to resume later in the year.

Elise Cartmell, General Manager Zero Emissions at Scottish Water, emphasised the importance of the work: "Loch Katrine is one of our biggest peatland restoration projects at 400 hectares so we have got to collate the evidence to demonstrate how effective this work is. Peatland restoration is absolutely vital to us as it reduces the amount of organic matter that's going into our source waters. With climate change we are getting these very intense rainfall events and that's driving that organic carbon off the hillside into our source waters."

Professor Peter Hunter from the University of Stirling added: "We're hoping that over time we will be able to see that the restoration work has helped reduce the loss of carbon from the peatlands and therefore the concentration that we see in Loch Katrine itself."

The research project is part of the Hydro Nation Chair Research & Innovation Programme, hosted by the University of Stirling and funded by Scottish Water, which focuses on bringing Scotland's water sector together to achieve net-zero targets. The restoration work at Loch Katrine is funded through Peatland ACTION and is part of a wider land management plan for the catchment, in partnership with Forestry and Land Scotland, and is also part of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Partnership Plan.