As work to restore around 325 hectares of blanket bog on Caladh, Tighnabruich came to a close at the start of February 2026, it was a good time to get colleagues and collaborators out on the site to see what had been done there over the previous six months.  ACT staff and the landowners met the contractors, saw the work that has been carried out and found out about the techniques used to slow the movement of water off the site. 

Before restoration, the site was criss-crossed by drains, likely created in the 1960s and 70s to increase agricultural production. The drains had negligible impact on the farming potential of the land but dried the top layers of peat and reduced biodiversity. Areas of bare, dry peat often erode, steadily increasing the area of damage. They also emit carbon dioxide, can exacerbate flooding events and reduce water quality downstream.

The contractors, Net Zero North Ltd, based in North Yorkshire, have had four 8.5 tonne excavators on the site to block drains. To access more sensitive areas without damaging the peat, one of the machines was fitted with special 1.4 metre-wide plastic tracks. The visitors to the site could see that across much of the site, the only sign of the historic ditches are series of small pools that have collected behind peat dams. The ditch between each dam has been infilled by scooping in peat and vegetation, known as the ‘wave dam and zip’ technique.

The picture below shows a block of moorland with three excavators finishing work. The ‘zips’ are visible across the parallel ditches and many of these wave dams are already holding water. Over time, these should start to revegetate with bog plants, especially Sphagnum mosses.

The picture above also includes two series of timber dams (shown in more detail below). These were used where the drains were deeper. The notch in the top of each dam allows excess water to flow out of the centre; this prevents water running round the edges of the dam where erosion can then start. Although installed only a week previously, many of the dams were full and holding back water.

On shallower areas of erosion, the contractors installed coir logs – a biodegradable product made from coconut fibre.  These hold back the water and encourage peat sediment to settle in the pools.  The coir will gradually decompose but the build-up of peat particles and growth of new vegetation will continue to reduce the flow of water.  Over time the natural materials on the site will replace the function of the coir.

The landowners reported how pleased they are with the restoration work, “We were greatly impressed to see in action, all the work that Net Zero North had carried out so effectively, with little track damage and in such good time. We’re also grateful to ACT for efficiently managing the whole restoration programme.” In the longer run, the landowners are looking forward to seeing the impact of the restoration, “Our hope is that the peat restoration will help to increase the biodiversity on the hill and that reduction in water runoff will improve the water quality, especially for drinking water downstream from the site by reducing the peat sediment in the burns.”

The contractors enjoyed showing us the results of all their hard work. Jack, the site foreman of Net Zero North says: "It was a great day working with ACT and the Caladh landowners on the ground, demonstrating some of the peatland restoration techniques we use day-to-day. We showed them wave damming along with coir and timber dams, talked through the practical side of installing them, and shared what works best in these conditions. It was a really positive, hands-on session and good to pass on knowledge that helps support long-term peatland recovery."

Julie Young, the CEO of ACT also enjoyed the day: “It was fantastic to spend time on Caladh peatland with the landowners, contractors and ACT Team. It was a perfect showcase for different approaches to peatland restoration in differing locations and a great demonstration of co-operative working from all involved. The contractors were incredibly skilled and efficient, and the landowners could not have been more engaged and supportive of the work beeing done here.”

Do you own a peatland in mid-Argyll, Islay or Jura that would benefit from restoration work? We’d be delighted to discuss options with you, please get in touch!  

[email protected]

Clare Trinder, Peatland ACTION Project Officer

All photos by Clare Trinder.

Peatland ACTION

The project at Caladh was supported by the Scottish Government’s Peatland ACTION Fund, delivered in partnership with NatureScot and other agencies. 

#PeatlandACTION @PeatlandACTION @NatureScot @ScotGov @ScotGovNetZero @ScotGovRural

If you are interested in peatland restoration, you can find more information here:

• Peatland ACTION | NatureScot
• Community-led Peatland Restoration