Only a tiny proportion of the original raised bogs now remain, as most have been industrially harvested. 53 of the remaining midland raised bogs are legally protected under the Habitats Directive, making restoration is a legal obligation

That so many people are enthusiastic about restoring nature is grounds for hope. We must not let the scaremongering of a minority derail this democratic process

And pioneering communities across the country are reinstating habitats and restoring rivers, wetlands, bogs, and woodlands

We've been given information, we've been given warnings, we've been given leeway but the scandal is that we still fail to value and protect the fragile ecosystems of our bogs

Directives should have been adopted more than a year ago