Flow Country could join the Taj Mahal

THE Flow Country of Caithness and Sutherland could join the Taj Mahal in India and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia as a World Heritage Site.

That is the aim of a group of enthusiasts who believe the site – the largest expanse of blanket bog in Europe which covers about 4000 square kilometres – deserves such recognition because of its global importance.

Joe Perry, the project co-ordinator for the Flow Country World Heritage Site Working Group, explained the thinking behind the initiative.

"We believe that the Flow Country deserves to be inscribed as a World Heritage Site, joining the Great Barrier Reef and the Taj Mahal, in recognition of its outstanding universal value," he said.

"To this end, we are working hard to put together a technical evaluation for the Department for Culture Media and Sport, who will then decide whether or not to give us the go ahead for a full application to UNESCO.

"If the Flow Country becomes a World Heritage Site, it would belong to the communities in and around it. It will be through their continued interaction with the land that it remains a world-class ecosystem which will benefit generations to come."

Mr Perry pointed out that the group is organising a community consultation plan relating to the bid for world heritage status.

"We want to hear what people think about the incredible opportunities offered by UNESCO World Heritage Site inscription and to learn what the Flow Country means to them," he said. "That will involve talking to communities around the Flow Country and inviting comments and questions pertaining to the World Heritage Site bid."

The area is home to a rich variety of wildlife and is used as a breeding ground for many different species of birds, including greenshank, dunlin, merlin and golden plover.

The Flow Country was badly damaged between 1979 and 1987 through the planting of non-native conifer forests and the cutting of thousands of miles of drains. The trees dried out the peat, changing the habitat and destroying its value for birds and other wildlife.

In an effort to restore the area, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds bought a large area in the centre of the Flow Country and created the Forsinard nature reserve.

As reported in August, Mr Perry – who has an MSc in environment, heritage and policy – moved to the Highlands from Glasgow to front the working group.

Mr Perry has previously worked as a project manager for an environmental tour and experiences company that aims to connect young people in Scotland with their natural and cultural heritage.

The working group was set up by the Peatlands Partnership in 2017.