World Heritage Site status has been sought for almost half a million acres of blanket bog.
The Flow Country contains the most intact and extensive blanket bog system in the world Unesco has been formally asked to consider awarding World Heritage Site status to 469,500 acres of Scotland's Flow Country.
The area of Caithness and Sutherland contains the most intact and extensive blanket bog system in the world. World Heritage status is an internationally-recognised designation given to places of cultural, historical or scientific significance.Scottish locations with the Unesco status include the St Kilda archipelago, Skara Brae prehistoric village and the Antonine Wall. Globally, the sites include Australia's Great Barrier Reef and Egypt's Historic Cairo. The Flow Country Partnership, a collaboration that includes Highland Council, NatureScot, RSPB Scotland, University of the Highlands and Islands and Wildland Ltd, handed its 250-page nomination dossier to the UK government. It was then submitted to Unesco, a UN organisation promoting cooperation on education and science, for consideration. Dr Steven Andrews, of the Flow Country Partnership, said: "A vast amount of work has gone into getting the nomination dossier prepared for delivery to Unesco in Paris and we are hugely grateful to both the UK government and also the Scottish government for the support they have provided in helping us reach this important milestone."UK Arts minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said the Flow Country would be a worthy recipient of World Heritage Site status. Scotland's environment minister Mairi McAllan added the peatlands played an important part in combatting climate change. The Flow Country is an expanse of peatlands, bogs, pools, lochs, hills and mountains covering large parts of the north Highlands. It is about 50 miles across - roughly the distance from Glasgow to Edinburgh - and covers a total of almost a million acres of land. The peatlands, which have been growing for 10,000 years, are formed by layers of waterlogged mosses and other vegetation as they die off. The plant life does not fully decay due to acidic conditions, so the material retains some of the carbon it absorbed when at the surface of the bog. In places, the peat is 10m thick - deep enough to submerge two double decker buses stacked on top of one another. The Flows provide habitat for birds, otters and water voles, and is carpeted with sphagnum moss. Its other plant life include sundews, which feed on insects that get trapped in their sticky tentacles. It helps combat climate change by storing an estimated 400 million tonnes of carbon. Damaging the peat risks releasing harmful greenhouses gases into the atmosphere.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Three out of four lanes closed on M6 in Black Country due to accidentThree out of four lanes are closed on the M6 northbound in the Black Country due to an accident.
Read more »
Exact time ferocious gale-force winds to hit Scotland as 80mph gusts forecastStrong winds are striking Scotland with the north of the country receiving the most fearsome gusts.
Read more »
The Nottinghamian: Nottingham poorest place in countryTake a look at the Nottinghamian newsletter from Tuesday, January 31
Read more »
Why is the French pension age so low?Protesters in France are arguing against a plan to raise the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64. It is opposed by 68% of French people but viewed from elsewhere, the change looks modest
Read more »
The US Values Asian Work More Than Asian LivesThe many misconceptions about the Asian employee experience in this country.
Read more »