Peat and Soil

Healthy Peatlands store large amounts of carbon as well as supporting ecosystems and retaining water, which can help manage flood risk. We have significant expertise in peatland restoration and are currently developing tools to understand the impacts of climate change on many aspects of peatland functioning both in Scotland and further afield.

Soils, when poorly managed, can suffer from erosion and physical degradation, reducing their ability to support ecosystems and agriculture. The James Hutton Institute has internationally recognised expertise to help build soil resilience to climate change and shifting environmental conditions. This includes soil function, structure, biodiversity and ability to sequester carbon.

We are involved in practical projects to enhance soil health through sustainable agriculture, sustainable land management and agroforestry.

We also hold the National Soils Archive, with a large collection of soil samples from Scotland going back to the 1940s. We have expertise in land capability and assessment and produce the Land Capability for Agriculture maps.