By Felix Meister, D.Phil., Advisor Scotland
The Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 introduced Muirburn Licences as a new legal requirement for making muirburn in Scotland. The new licensing scheme was expected to come into effect ahead of the 2025/26 burning season starting on 15 September 2025. However, Scottish Government informed stakeholders on 18 June that they decided to postpone the enactment date until 1 January 2026.
For land managers in Scotland, this means that they will be able to burn without a licence during the muirburn season until 31 December. However, from 1 January onwards, they will need to have valid licences in place or else they commit an offence under the new legislation.
The delay was decided in order to give land managers more time to carry out peat-depth surveys where required. To that end, NatureScot has made an interactive map available online that shows assumed deep peat and shallow peat over specified areas and can create recommended survey points for these areas.
The GWCT Advisory Services Scotland are available as the number-one consultant in Scotland for assisting with muirburn-licence applications, carrying our peat-depth surveys, and producing comprehensive Muirburn Plans. Read here how our Muirburn Planning Services can benefit land managers by making more land available for burning under non-peatland licences.
More information on our Muirburn Planning Services can be found here or by contacting scottishadvisory@gwct.org.uk.