THE number of green jobs in Scotland is set to be boosted following the expansion of NatureScot’s Peatland ACTION programme.
The nature agency announced that nine new roles are to be created across Scotland as a result of the expansion.
These include land management and technical expertise to financial, project management and communication skills.
Recruitment is now underway for the positions, which NatureScot said will support the Scottish Government’s ten-year, £250 million commitment for peatland restoration.
The jobs boost was a ‘key commitment’ in NatureScot’s Action Plan for nature-based jobs report, which identified peatland restoration as an important area for growth.
The recent UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow highlighted the ‘critical’ role that peatlands in good condition can play in naturally capturing and storing carbon.
Peter Hutchinson, Peatland ACTION programme manager, said, “Peatland restoration is a relatively new and growing sector in Scotland. In the last ten years, NatureScot has built a highly dedicated team, growing from just ten staff to more than thirty. We are now looking to expand further to meet the growing ambition to restore Scotland’s peatlands, and we hope that these roles will be followed by more opportunities in the near future.
“This is a really exciting time to join us and be part of the green jobs revolution, working on projects that are making a real difference to tackling the twin crises of nature loss and climate change. Peatland restoration is not only a win for nature and climate, but also for job creation and for local communities across Scotland.”
