RESPECT response to Peatland ACTION proposals

On 25 February 2025, Dr Miranda Geelhoed, Research Associate on the RESPECT Project (Rapid Engagement with Stressed Peatland Environments and Communities in Transformation), attended a workshop organised by NatureScot on the future of Peatland ACTION. At the end of the workshop, participants were asked to share any further views. This document shares some initial views on the proposed changes to Peatland ACTION funding and makes key connections with research under the RESPECT project. The interdisciplinary RESPECT project is part of the Land Use for Net Zero, Nature and People (LUNZ) Hub and is funded by the UKRI Land Use for Net Zero programme. It aims to produce data, methods, landholder tools and proposals for governance reforms to change agricultural practices on peatland. RESPECT brings together researchers across Scotland and England with expertise in the natural and social sciences, humanities and law. RESPECT will also produce the Peatland Triage Tool (PTT), providing decision-support for landowners, land managers, farmers and crofters (collectively ‘landholders’) seeking to undertake peatland restoration.