As 2024 draws to a close, it’s heartening to see major strides being made in restoring the UK’s uplands for nature, the climate and people. Across the UK, progress has been achieved in land being acquired for restoration, community-driven projects and policy reform—all moving us closer to a future where nature thrives in the uplands.

Here are four areas where we’re seeing transformative change:

1. Land acquisitions for nature restoration continue

This year has seen a continued wave of acquisitions of moorland estates for nature restoration. Large estates across Scotland and England are being revived to support biodiversity, tackle climate change and bring new life to degraded uplands.

In Scotland, the Dorback Estate in the Cairngorms has been secured by Oxygen Conservation, while the University of Edinburgh and the KITH Trust now own the Glenturret Estate in Perthshire. South of the border, the Wildlife Trust and its regional federations have made history with the acquisition of two major moorland estates: Rothbury Estate in Northumberland and Skiddaw Forest in the Lake District. These are the first acquisitions of their kind in England.

Meanwhile, the National Trust continues to expand its nature restoration work on the High Peak Estate in the Peak District National Park, receiving recognition for its work to restore peatlands, expand clough woodlands, revive ancient grasslands and work with farming tenants to provide opportunities for conservation grazing.

These examples exemplify how public, private, community and environmental organisations can provide leadership in creating sustainable alternatives to intensive moorland management, paving the way for the continued restoration of the UK’s uplands.

2. Community-driven nature restoration shows promising results

Community projects continue to show how local efforts can lead to meaningful change. At the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve, another good year saw eight hen harriers chicks successfully fledge on Langholm Moor, a heartening indicator of the project’s progress.

Beyond hen harrier conservation, efforts continue to restore peatlands, create native broadleaf woodlands and work with tenants to establish conservation grazing across the reserve. These initiatives not only enhance biodiversity, but also build resilience against climate change by improving carbon storage and natural flood management in the uplands.

The Tarras Valley Nature Reserve is just one example of how communities are taking an active role in restoring landscapes and setting a benchmark for what’s possible when people come together to care for their local environment.

3. Legislative wins for nature and the climate

Policy changes have played a critical role in protecting nature in the uplands in 2024. In Scotland, authorities now have enhanced powers to restrict or shut down grouse moors implicated in wildlife crime or environmental harm. A ban on snares has also come into force in Scotland, with the new government in England reaffirming its pledge to follow on, after Wales led the way in 2023.

Encouraging new research from England highlights the positive impact of the 2021 legislation prohibiting burning on deep peat in protected areas. Burning activity has decreased by as much as 73% in the year since the ban compared to the four prior seasons, signalling a significant step towards protecting vital peatland carbon stores. Wild Moors continues to advocate for the ban to be extended to shallow peatlands to ensure lasting protection for these critical habitats.

4. Grouse shooting tanks: another season of decline

Grouse shooting has faced another poor year following the birds not breeding. Climate change, which brings extremes of weather to which grouse are poorly suited, is impacting on bird numbers, alongside the prevalence of diseases and parasites associated with intensively managed moorlands.

This is the fifth consecutive year where many grouse moors have seen little, if any, shooting taking place, despite those estates putting huge resources into continuing intensive regimes of heather burning, trapping and mass medication of game birds.

More entrepreneurial estates have noted the opportunity to shift priorities and move to more sustainable land management practices. A growing number of estates are now exploring alternatives that prioritise ecosystem services like carbon storage, biodiversity and water quality and management.

One of the most promising developments has been the rise of natural capital. This focuses on nature restoration, including rewetting peatlands and restoring woodlands, in projects that not only benefit nature, but also provide an income through carbon credits, biodiversity offsets and water quality improvements. As the Financial Times recently noted, this approach has made nature restoration an economically-viable alternative to grouse shooting.

A vision for the future

These milestones in land acquisition, community action and policy reform show that momentum continues to restore the uplands as places where nature flourishes. While challenges remain, the progress made in 2024 gives us reason to be optimistic—and to continue pushing for a future where uplands are restored for the benefit of nature, the climate and people.