Remnants of Scotland’s industrial railway network are being preserved as part of efforts to restore damaged peatlands, with conservation experts warning that removing them could cause more environmental harm than leaving them in place.
Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) says historic railway embankments and track beds are being retained at several restoration sites, allowing important features of the country’s industrial past to remain while fragile habitats recover.
The approach is being adopted at sites including Flanders Moss, west of Stirling, and Coalburn Moss and Heathland Moss in South Lanarkshire, where former railway routes once carried coal, slate and passengers across wetland landscapes.
Many of the lines date back to Scotland’s industrial expansion, when railway networks helped transport materials and connect communities.
Although the railways have long since disappeared, sections of their original routes remain visible across the peatlands.
FLS says removing these structures could disturb the surrounding peat, potentially undermining efforts to restore the land’s natural ability to store carbon, support wildlife and regulate water.
Simon Turner, rainforest and peatland project coordinator for FLS, said: “People often assume that restoring a peatland means returning it to exactly how it looked before human intervention, but restoration is rarely that simple.
“In some locations, removing the remains of historic railway lines could damage the peat we’re trying to protect. The challenge is finding the best outcome for the habitat while recognising that these landscapes have centuries of human history written into them.”
Peatlands play an important role in Scotland’s environment, storing large quantities of carbon and providing habitats for a range of plants and wildlife.
However, many have been damaged over generations by drainage, forestry, mining and other industrial activities.
Restoration projects aim to reverse that damage by improving water retention and encouraging the return of natural peatland vegetation.
Rather than removing every trace of previous human activity, FLS is taking a more selective approach, balancing environmental recovery with the preservation of historic features.
Mr Turner said: “These railways once helped drive Scotland’s industrial growth. Today, they sit within landscapes that are recovering their ability to store carbon, support wildlife and manage water naturally. That’s a powerful story of change.”
Some former railway routes have also found new uses, forming part of forest road networks or providing access for walkers and cyclists.
FLS believes their continued presence offers an opportunity to tell the story of Scotland’s changing landscapes, from natural wetlands through industrial development to modern conservation.
Mr Turner added: “Restoration does not mean erasing that history. Instead, the remains of old railway lines can help tell the story of how Scotland’s landscapes have evolved, from ancient peatlands to industrial engines of change and now to important nature restoration projects.”
The organisation says its wider peatland restoration programme will continue to balance environmental improvements with the protection of historic features where appropriate.
