Cùl Mòr Peatland restoration


This restoration project area covers 91 ha owned by the Assynt Foundation, which was set up to make a community buy out of two estates in the northwest Highlands of Scotland. Restoration works were largely delivered between February and April 2023.The Cùl Mòr project has achieved Project Validation approval under the Peatland Code.

20,469

20,469

Est. tCO2e avoidance over life time

100 years

100 years

Project duration

135 ha

135 ha

Property area

About This Project


This project is part of a wider programme of restoration of the Glencanisp and Drumrunie Estates, which are situated in a Special Area of Conservation. The aim and ethos of the estate are to bring sustained positive conservation management and return the area to good health.

A combination of bare peat re-vegetation, hag re-profiling, ditch blocking and drain blocking will allow the water table to rise and peat-forming plant species to re-colonise the area. These plants sequester carbon while they are alive and the waterlogged habitat prevents them from decomposing when they die, resulting in their carbon being stated as layers of peat.

Improved water quality
Improved water quality

By absorbing and/or filtering water, this project is helping to improve water quality in the surrounding and downstream areas.

Community involvement
Community involvement

Members of the surrounding community are involved in the development of this project and will share in the benefits, including jobs and skills creation.

Biodiversity uplift
Biodiversity uplift

This project was developed to increase the amount and variety of flora and fauna species in the area.

Habitat conservation
Habitat conservation

This project supports the habitat of important species native to the areas.

Our involvement


Forest Carbon has supported the Assynt Foundation in certifying (Project Validation) its peatland project at Cùl Mòr under the IUCN Peatland Code, alongside marketing for sale an agreed volume of carbon credits from the project. Carbon income generated from this project will support the long term management and maintenance of the project as well as supporting the wider work of the Assynt Foundation.

Assess eligibility and potential

We assessed the proposed restoration project based on Peatland Code eligibility. This included mapping degradation features, and plotting peat depth points to quantify potential volume of Pending Issuance Units (tCO2e) the project could deliver over varying timescales. We also assessed the additionality of the project based on our knowledge of the Peatland Code requirements. This initial assessment work was critical in supporting decision making by the trustees of the Assynt Foundation.

Carbon income assessments

We worked with the trustees to model carbon revenues based on a range of scenarios and options. We also provided the trustees with detailed information that related to the Peatland Code and the wider voluntary carbon market. This work was vital in educating the trustees on a range of pathways they could potentially explore further.

Process Peatland Code application

Together with the relevant stakeholders, we collated the necessary information and documentation for the Peatland Code validation. Our expertise and experience accelerate this process and maximise the chance of success.

Marketing and sale of credits

We are marketing a pre-agreed volume of Pending Issuance Units from the project to prospective carbon buyers seeking to support the restoration of degraded peatlands in the UK. This has included commissioning a high-quality video (produced by Scotica) that provides imagery of the project alongside interviews with key stakeholders associated with the delivery of the works.  

Watch the movie


In partnership with Assynt Foundation, we commissioned a short video to bring Cùl Mòr and the people behind its restoration to life.

"Forest Carbon has been really fundamental in the whole process for us. They've provided us with all of the help and guidance and assistance that we've needed. We'd have been stuck without them, to be honest."

- Lewis MacAskill, Assynt Foundation

Results so far


This project kicked off in February 2023 and was delivered in April of the same year. These photos were taken before and during the restoration.


Keen to support Cùl Mòr? Carbon credits (PIUs) from this community-driven project are now available to purchase. Are you interested in accessing support and guidance on a peatland restoration project or Code validation/verification?


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