The Flow Country has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, making it Scotland’s first natural world heritage site.
The Flow Country is home to a wide range of wetland and moorland species, including rare birds such as the red-throated diver, golden eagle, and short-eared owl. It is also a vital carbon sink, storing approximately 400 million tonnes of carbon in the north of Scotland.
The listing of the Flow Country as a UNESCO World Heritage Site will provide an opportunity to safeguard its fragile ecosystem, which may include the creation of new green jobs in areas such as landscape restoration and conservation, said the UK government in a press statement issued Friday.
It may also raise awareness about the importance of carbon sequestration and nature conservation, it added.