Raised bogs face extinction threat

ACTIVE raised bogs are seriously under threat of extinction in Ireland, warns the Irish Peatland Conservation Council.

It said that in the last 10 years over a third of active raised bog (1,000 ha) has been lost as a direct result of turf cutting taking place within protected peatlands.

Raised bogs are not being protected, despite their designation as special areas of conservation and natural heritage areas, because turf cutting is being allowed to continue.

“The Government has offered a generous compensation package for turbary rights holders to stop cutting turf on designated sites,” says the IPCC.

“If active raised bog is to be saved from extinction, rights holders in protected peatlands must cease cutting turf immediately”.