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Dryhope
Located in the Scottish Borders, Dryhope is the site of the UK’s first Peatland Code validated restoration project. With strong collaboration and long-term funding, this pioneering scheme is securing the future of vital peatland habitat.



Dryhope sits across 161 hectares of upland hill ground north of St Mary’s Loch, within the Scottish Borders. Historically grazed by sheep, the land had suffered significant degradation, with extensive drainage and active erosion damaging the blanket bog. To reverse this, Forest Carbon, Tweed Forum and Scottish Natural Heritage joined forces to restore the site.
Restoration work focused on re-wetting the peatland by blocking man-made ditches and reprofiling hags to stop erosion. These actions have raised the water table, helping native bog plants like sphagnum moss return and reducing further carbon loss. Over time, the site is expected to shift from a carbon source to a carbon sink.
By attracting carbon finance, the project has secured 45 years of ongoing management, ensuring that early efforts are protected well into the future. Within that time, it is expected to prevent 6,484 tonnes of CO₂e from being emitted, according to Peatland Code-validated calculations. But the restoration doesn’t just cut greenhouse gases; it also delivers a range of environmental benefits, including improved water quality, better conditions for biodiversity and fisheries, and reduced flood risk within the wider Yarrow Water Catchment.
Our thanks go to all those who supported the Dryhope project and helped pioneer a new path for peatland restoration in the UK.


Certified under the Peatland Code, the UK’s government-backed standard for carbon-funded peatland restoration.
Peatlands are among the most valuable ecosystems on Earth and a stark example of how important our natural environment is to our wellbeing. Occupying just 3% of the Earth’s land surface, peatlands are our largest carbon store on land. They are places where people derive clean water and food, and can act as buffers for environmental disasters, such as flooding. They are also of global significance for biodiversity with the majority of peatland species and habitats rare, threatened or declining.
- Inger Anderson, Director of the IUCN
Project status
Registered
Project and plans are registered on IHS Markit.
Project validated
Documentation is audited, but work and verification are yet to occur.
Restoration validated
Work is complete. An initial check has been carried out by a third party.
Verified
Meets Code standards, verified by an accredited assessor. Ongoing checks ahead.
Co-benefits
Our involvement
As well as being the UK’s first Peatland Code validated restoration project, Dryhope marked Forest Carbon’s entry into peatland work. It is one of 27 projects we’ve co-developed with Tweed Forum since 2013. Our long-standing partnership is built on trust, shared values, and the belief that collaboration delivers lasting impact.
[Forest Carbon's] skills in bringing in private finance to help fund both woodland and peatland work have increased both the scale and impact of our work, bringing a host of benefits to the local area.
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Want to back a project like Dryhope?
Dryhope was made possible by businesses and land managers working together to restore UK nature. If your business is looking to make a similar impact, explore the projects it can support today.








































