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Habitats: Whisky Makers Unite to Bring Islay’s Peatlands Back to Life​

21 November 2025
By James Hamilton
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Hen harrier. Image credit: rspb-images.com
 
In a groundbreaking alliance that blends nature, culture, and Scotland’s most beloved spirit, three major whisky producers have joined forces with RSPB Scotland to revive one of the country’s most precious natural habitats.

Suntory Global Spirits, Diageo, and The Glenmorangie Company have announced a major five-year partnership to restore vast areas of peatland on Islay’s spectacular Oa peninsula — home to dramatic cliffs, sweeping moorland, and some of the island’s most iconic wildlife.

A Landscape Worth Saving

​Peatlands may not look dramatic at first glance, but these boggy ecosystems are climate heroes. Scotland’s peatlands lock away ten times more carbon than all the forests in the UK combined, making them essential in the fight against climate change. When peat dries out — often due to drainage or centuries of cutting — it releases that carbon back into the atmosphere and loses the ability to support the plants and animals that depend on it.

The partnership will invest £1.6 million to restore around 1,000 hectares of damaged blanket bog. The work will help re-wet the landscape, reduce flood risk, make the area more resilient to wildfires, and encourage the return of rare bog specialists. Over time, the land will begin to “heal”— returning to the lush, sponge-like habitat it once was.
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Good News for Wildlife

For birders, this restoration is especially exciting. The Oa is a refuge for some of Scotland’s most threatened species. Rejuvenated peat will support breeding Curlew, Snipe, and the ghostly Hen Harrier, as well as the delicate Large Heath Butterfly. Healthier bogs also mean cleaner water, benefiting the entire ecosystem.

RSPB Scotland Director Anne McCall described the partnership as “a shining example of how conservation and industry can work hand in hand,” emphasising how essential collaboration is to restoring Scotland’s natural heritage.

Why Whisky Makers Care

Peat and whisky have a long, intertwined history. For distilleries, peat contributes both cultural identity and, in some cases, the distinctive smoky character of their spirits. By investing in peatland recovery, these companies are giving back to the landscapes that have shaped their craft.

The Future of The Oa

Much of the peatland on The Oa was drained or cut for centuries, leaving sections degraded and carbon-hungry. By blocking drainage ditches, reshaping eroded ground, and encouraging native bog plants to return, conservationists aim to transform the area back into a thriving, breathing ecosystem.

For visitors — whether hillwalkers, whisky lovers, or binocular-toting birders — the restoration promises a landscape richer in wildlife, healthier for the planet, and more resilient for the future.
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This collaboration marks a hopeful moment for Scotland’s peatlands, and a reminder that when industries and conservationists work together, remarkable things can happen.
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