Soil carbon management

Soils in Scotland hold over 3000 Mega tonnes of carbon, with around 60% being held in deep peat soils. This resource has accumulated over millennia but is increasingly at risk from change through the dynamics of natural processes and the direct impacts of land-use change and other anthropogenic impacts which can degrade soil and result in loss of carbon much more quickly. This 'long-time to form / short time to lose' situation means that protecting the existing soil carbon store is arguably the first priority. Scottish Natural Heritage has clarified its strategy for protecting and conserving Scotland's important soils to reduce the impacts of climate change through carbon loss. This is set out in the Scottish Natural Heritage Board paper SNH/10/1/2 (23 February 2010).

The paper sets out SNH's role in the context of the Government's targets and initiatives, primarily the National Performance Framework Outcomes and the Scottish Soil Framework, and SNH's own Corporate Strategy and Climate Change Action Plan. No single agency has an overall lead role on soil carbon issues, but SNH can support activities which closely relate to our own remit by focusing on:

• raising awareness of, and advising on, the importance of soil carbon and the consequences if it is not managed effectively;
• guiding the management of the natural heritage and landscapes in a way which best protects soil carbon, as well as the biodiversity interests;
• advising on the management of wider land use change (e.g. forestry planting, windfarm development) so that it takes account of the impact on soil carbon;
• setting an example on our own landholdings to demonstrate good climate change mitigation and adaptation practices.

Taking the background context and the roles defined above, SNH will focus its activities in 4 priority areas.

Designated areas

'Healthy' functional soils capable of delivering a full range of ecosystems services are required to support species and habitat condition and diversity.

Peatland

Peatlands contain the highest stock of soil carbon in their peat deposits. Peat contained in wetlands is also a major carbon store.

Woodland

Woodlands have the capacity to sequester atmospheric carbon in their timber and litter and increase/ decrease soil carbon levels.

Renewable energy and land use change

Land management practices can help to mitigate against climate change