The European Commission has recently approved a major habitat restoration project submitted by Coillte under the EU LIFE Nature Programme for the promotion of nature conservation. The project 'Restoring Active Blanket Bog in Ireland' is focused on the restoration/conservation of over 1,200 hectares of blanket bog mainly along the western seaboard. This is the sole Irish project approved under LIFE-Nature for 2002.

The Peatlands of the West of Ireland are internationally among the most important intact areas of active blanket bog found in Europe. Since 1997 approximately 135,139 ha of active blanket bog have been proposed as candidate Special Areas of Conservation [SAC] under the Habitats Directive. These proposed SAC Blanket Bog sites are located mainly in the Atlantic Seaboard counties of Ireland, especially County Mayo.

The project aims at bogland restoration on 14 unplanted, partially or wholly afforested sites covering 1212.3 ha within candidate SACs. Coillte, The Irish Forestry Board, consistent with the principles of responsible forest management, has divided its estate into environmental forest management units [FMUs]. The project area is on land owned and managed by Coillte in 7 FMUs. Special emphasis will be placed on sites in the North Mayo Forest Management Unit, where the full range of blanket bog types occur from lowland to mountain blanket bog (involving sensitive river catchments).

In other FMUs, the sites are representative of afforested peatlands around the country. Five of these sites have been selected as project demonstration sites, these will be the focus of a public awareness programme over a four-year period.

In the past, the blanket boglands of Ireland were extensively afforested, with unfenced open areas often heavily overgrazed. This has resulted in degradation and drying out of the habitat. These threats are the focus of this project.

The problems which need to be addressed, are:

• Uncontrolled areas on the open bogs have been overgrazed
• Forestry drains on the open bogs have lowered the natural water levels
• Afforestation, including drainage has reduced the area of blanket bog
• Forest plantations are regenerating onto the open bogs SACs.

This project will reverse these processes and over time will create a high quality area of active blanket bog by:

• Fencing to gain control of over 718ha of open bog areas,
• Ditch blocking to fence the integrity of the bog hydrological systems,
• Deforestation of over 493ha to enlarge the blanket bog area,
• Removal of naturally regenerated trees from the open bogs.

Bog restoration techniques on afforested peatland pioneered in the LIFE funded "The Border Mires Active Blanket Bog Rehabilitation Project" (UK) will be developed on in this project. Links with other LIFE funded projects, with an emphasis on tree clearance have also been made. This LIFE funded restoration project will build on conservation management plans for the sites, the development of which by Dúchas The Heritage Service, was previously supported by EU LIFE funding.

At the end of this project it is expected that the proponent will have achieved a significant amount of blanket bog enhancement. Funding from LIFE-Nature will demonstrate the restoration of suitable active blanket bog sites as one of the management options on afforested peatlands.

Coillte EU Contact: Philip Murphy
Phone: +353 1 663 5230
Fax: +353 1 678 95 27
Email:philip.murphy@coillte.ie

Project Management: Kevin Donnellan

Phone: +353 94 29400
Fax: +353 94 21480
Email:kevin.donnellan@coillte.ie

Public Awareness: Caroline White
Phone: +353 71 62663
Fax: +353 71 43014
Email:caroline.white@coillte.ie

Company Ecologist: Dr Aileen O'Sullivan
Phone: +353 1 2011140
Fax: +353 1 2011199
Email:aileen.osullivan@coillte.ie