The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys TD, has today (Monday) welcomed the approval by the European Commission of a new project worth over €5.4 million for the restoration of Active Raised Bog in Ireland’s Special Area of Conservation (SAC) Network. The project, which will operate from 2016 to 2020, seeks to improve the conservation status in Ireland of active raised bog, a priority habitat under the Habitats Directive, using best practice conservation actions. The project will support the restoration of active raised bog in 12 SAC project sites throughout Ireland. A project team is being recruited to implement this project and will be consulting with local communities in the relevant areas.
Minister Humphreys said: “This project will provide a significant financial injection for the conservation of Ireland’s protected raised bogs, will provide benefits to rural communities and also create employment opportunities.
“The project will also be a very positive step forward in efforts to reverse the decline of active raised bog in Ireland and will support the measures of the National Peatlands Strategy and the National Raised Bog SAC Management Plan.
“This project will be undertaken with the consultation and involvement of local communities. I am hopeful that this project will raise awareness of the importance and uniqueness of Ireland’s raised bogs and will help address the urgent need for conservation and restoration measures.
”In 2014, an application was made by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to the EU LIFE programme to provide funding support for this project. The European Commission has now agreed to provide almost 75% co-funding (€4.056m) for this €5.4 million project which is being undertaken by the Department
The 12 SAC sites which will be part of the Restoring Active Raised Bog LIFE project are as follows:
1. Killyconny Bog IE0000006 Cavan and Meath
2. Clara Bog IE0000572 Offaly
3. Ferbane Bog IE0000575 Offaly
4. Mongan Bog IE0000580 Offaly
5. Moyclare Bog IE0000581 Offaly
6. Raheenmore Bog IE0000582 Offaly
7. Sharavogue Bog IE0000585 Offaly
8. Carrowbehy/Caher Bog IE0000597 Roscommon
9. Derrinea Bog IE0000604 Roscommon
10. Garriskil Bog IE0000679 Westmeath
11. Carrownagappul Bog IE0001242 Galway
12. Ardagullion Bog IE0002341 Longford
Irish Peatland Conservation Council – IPCC
Source: Envirocentre – EU Funding for €5.4m Project for Restoration of Ireland’s Active Raised Bogs
