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Class Level and Curriculum Links
Junior Certificate Geography
The Bog Debate
In the last ten years there has been much controversy and a growing debate over the fate of Irish bogs. Many bogs are now faced with extinction particularly our raised bogs, due to various commercial peat developments. The blanket bogs which are so characteristic of the mountains and west of Ireland are also threatened by afforestation, peat cutting and over-grazing.
The Dutch Experience - Lessons for
Ireland ?
Ireland is rapidly following in the footsteps of the Dutch people
who cut away all their bogs and realised too late what they had
lost. Holland had 250,000 ha of bogland in the Middle Ages. Today
they are trying to conserve the last five bog remnants, which
amount to only 8,000 ha, and which are mostly cutaway bog. It
cost the Dutch Government £33 million to buy and restore
these sites and £250,000 is spent annually to try to keep
them growing. Most of the 600,000 people who visit the largest
of the peatland nature reserves never see the natural bog because
it is too sensitive and small to allow people to walk on it.
Instead they visit a Peatland Museum which is located in a nearby
town. Dutch people will never have the opportunity to walk on
a real bog in Holland.
The Dutch people regret their mistakes and they are determined not to let Ireland follow in their footsteps along the path to peatland extinction. They formed the Dutch Foundation for Conservation of Irish Bogs in 1983, and this organisation launched a three year fund raising campaign. This raised enough money to purchase Scragh Bog (Co. Westmeath). Their interest in Irish bogs got through to the general public. One outcome was that the owners of Sheheree Bog in Co. Kerry conserved their bog and this is now a nature reserve.
The case study below helps to highlight some of the issues involved in development and conservation of Ireland's peatlands.
All Saints Bog in Co. Offaly is regarded as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC no. 566) because of its unique and endangered habitats. The site contains fine examples of actively growing raised bog vegetation and swampy bog birch woodland. The bog is 345ha in extent and is located 8km north west of Birr. It is an example of a raised bog with characteristic acid bog flora, dome shape and deep peat deposit. It has a swampy birch bog woodland on its surface which has been in existence for hundreds of years, and which has an unique insect fauna indicative of ancient woodlands. The site is important for Greenland White-fronted Geese. Flocks of the geese feed on the callows of the Little Brosna River adjacent to the bog and roost on the bog. The site is being industrially developed in part and has been cut by hand along its margins in the past.
The industrial development of All Saints Bog is carried out by Erin Peat Company from an area of 51ha. Moss peat is produced for the UK gardening market. It is used to improve gardening soil, as a mulch dressing and for growing potted plants. The company employs 67 people from the locality. It purchased the site in 1963 and has been harvesting moss peat since that time. There is enough moss peat to continue harvesting until 2012 amounting to 1.5million cubic metres with a commercial value of ¤6.50 per cubic metre. The second picture shows harvesting of the peat in action. Erin Peat harvest moss peat from two other sites in Offaly. These are Ballywilliam Bog (79ha) and Killaun Bog (32ha).
The bog has three ownership groups. These are Erin Peat, Dúchas the Heritage Service and private landowners. The portion of the bog owned by Dúchas was purchased from Bord na Móna, the Irish Turf Development Board in 1991 for conservation, a transfer funded in part by the European Union.
Build the arguments for and against the continued development of the site. Use the notes to help you.
Role of the Facilitator
1 Brief students on the case history and the problems. Distribute
case history notes.
2 Get students to divide into two groups and build the arguments
for and against the continued development of the site. Distribute
notes prepared below for each side of the debate after a short
period of brain storming.
3 Invite a representative of each group to orally present their
arguments.
4 Analyse the arguments. Help students to answer the following:
* reasons for and against the development
*what values are being displayed in each argument?
*where do these values from from?
* are they valid? fanatical? unrealistic?
5 Ask each group to suggest a compromise which illustrates a
middle position on this issue. Declare it and negotiate the compromise
and reach agreement within the group.
6 Ideas for resolving conflict. Erin Peat get off the site completely
or the company continues until it exhausts the resource entirely.
These are the extreme views. Another option would be to find
an alternative site to harvest. Are Erin prepared to move their
field production base? Should they be given financial incentives?
The conservationists should take steps to prevent damage to the
hydrology of the intact bog while development continues. Would
the threat of a consumer campaign to boycott Erin garden products
make a difference?
7 Analyse the cost of the compromise in terms of money, opportunity
and jobs and the environment. What values are each side not prepared
to change? What consequences did this have in terms of reaching
a compromise?
Developers
Defend the continued development of the bog. Points to include
in your arguments might be:
1 67 jobs for local people in harvesting, processing and bagging
of the moss peat in the factory.
2 Suitability of All Saints for moss peat and the difficulties
in obtaining an alternative site of this quality.
3 Competition with Bord na Móna the semi-state company
involved in peat production.
4 Conservation research work carried out at Clara and Raheenmore
bogs in Co. Offaly suggests that the remaining 2/3rds of the
site can in fact be kept wet and in working order even with the
development continuing to completion.
5 Many other examples of raised bogs of conservation value in
the locality such as Clara Bog, Raheenmore Bog and Mongan Bog,
all of which are protected.
6 Erin peat have made a substantial investment in the development
of the site. We must see a return on our investment.
7 Erin started extraction of the bog long before its conservation
value was recognised and must not be penalised for recent changes
in conservation policy.
8 Recent research on the industrial cutaway bog at Turraun in
Co. Offaly has shown that after peat removal it is possible to
create attractive wetlands of amenity and wildlife value.
Environmentalists
Defend the idea of conserving the entire site for its wildlife.
Points to include might be:
1 Jobs are low paid and seasonal in peat harvesting and factory
work. Restoration work at the site will create jobs.
2 Pollution effects from peat dust at harvesting time.
3 There are alternative sites for peat development that are not
listed for conservation.
4 People don't need peat to have a good healthy garden soil and
a fine garden. Composting garden and organic household waste
to make soil improvers is cost free and helps the environment
in the long term.
5 The site is permanently damaged by the development. It cannot
regenerate in our life time.
6 Uniqueness of the site with its bog woodland and raised bog
habitats in a European context. Several rare insects occur on
the site associated with ancient bog woodland.
7 Erin Peat as a company are not totally dependent on peat harvesting
to ensure their future. They produce other gardening products
such as paper pots, bird feeders and tables, hanging basket kits
etc. Continued moss peat extraction is a contradiction to the
green image the company portrays. The company is 97% British
based with only 3% in Ireland.
8 The site conserved would be an attraction to the area, providing
tourism interest and long term stability and income to the community.
9 The use of the bog and the Brosna callows by the Greenland
White-fronted Geese.
10 Erin Peat harvest moss peat from two other sites in Offaly.
These are Ballywilliam bog (79ha) and Killaun Bog (32ha). Their
future is not dependent on retaining All Saints.
