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Action 19. Turbary

Turbary or the right of private individuals to cut turf for domestic use has been carried on for centuries in rural areas of Ireland. Since the 15th century traditional turbary has been responsible for the loss of 544,000ha of raised and blanket bogs or 46% of the original peatland area in the Republic of Ireland.

The surface of the bog was mostly cut away by hand using the traditional turf spade or sleán, however, more recently mechanised extraction has become the norm with the use of chain cutter, hopper and milling machines.

The mechanisation of the process of peat extraction in the last two decades has had serious impacts on the dwindling peatland resource. In the past traditional hand cutting of turf took generations to produce a significant impact, but the use of machinery has greatly accelerated this process. More peat is being harvested over a wider area of bog and on a semi-commercial basis. This has altered the meaning of "turbary rights" in the traditional sense to permit semi-industrial extraction.

Conflicts between turf cutting (turbary) and conservation arise only where peat extraction is occurring on those sites that are of conservation or archaeological value (NHAs/SACs/RMs). If these sites are to be protected and rehabilitated, turbary on these sites must cease.

Only since 1999 with continued pressure from the EU and IPCC have the Government paid attention to the continued impact of turbary on conservation worthy sites. Dúchas is resolving the conflict between the right of the individual to cut turf for domestic use with the need for wildlife conservation on raised bog SACs via the 'Cessation of Turf Cutting Scheme'.

This scheme imposed a ban on the commercial and industrial cutting of peat on SACs in the summer of 1999. Compensation is assessed for these operations on a case by case basis and full compensation is paid for proven actual loss of income.

Exceptional arrangements have been made in the case of domestic cutters. They have been given 10 years (until the end of the cutting season 2008) to make new arrangements. Those who opt to continue cutting do so by acquiring a permit from Dúchas which specifies the amount and way that turf will be cut annually until 2008. The use of chain cutters is not permitted within SACs. Dúchas offer £1,300 per acre for ownership, £1,100 per acre for turbary rights alone or £200 per acre for fee simple. Alternatively Dúchas may move farmers to another turf plot in the area with a relocation payment of £500. In the first year of the scheme 289 owners availed of the £1,000 bonus for immediate cessation of turf cutting.

Over the first two and a half years of this scheme Dúchas paid out £1.8 million in 1999, £1.3 million in 2000 and £0.2 million to June 2001 to compensate the cessation of turf cutting on raised bog SACs. This has been paid to a total of 302 domestic cutters, and there are a further 116 cutters after making applications for compensation under the scheme.

To date 13 applicants have availed of the relocation option within the scheme. As yet (June 2001) there has been no compensation paid to commercial or industrial developers under the scheme because of a failure on the part of the developers to produce the required documents to make a claim.

At present complete cessation has not occurred within any raised bog SAC (Dúchas pers comm 2001).

The issue of turf cutting on non-SAC raised bogs and all blanket bog NHAs/SACs has yet to be controlled by Dúchas. One positive development has been the new 'Planning and Development Act, 2000' in which turbary on all bogs is no longer regarded as an agricultural activity outside of planning control. Regulations in relation to this matter are awaited.

General Objectives
To have all private and commercial turf cutting stopped within conservation worthy peatland sites (NHAs/SACs) and areas of archaeological importance surrounding RMs.

IPCC have lobbied Government and made recommendations to have a ban of peat extraction within SACs introduced and conflicts resolved. IPCC have also been involved in getting turbary excluded from the list of exempt development in the Planning and Development Act 2000. IPCC have repeatedly called for a distinction to be drawn between the traditional domestic cutting of peat and the semi-industrial extraction of peat. IPCC are participating in the discussions surrounding forthcoming regulations to incorporate turbary into the planning system.

Actions
3.19.1 Dúchas should extend the 'Cessation of Turf cutting Scheme' to all peatland SACs/NHAs. The scheme should be amended to reduce the period before cessation from 10 years to 5 years.

3.19.2 The Department of the Environment should introduce the planning regulations regarding peat extraction without delay.

3.19.3 The Department of the Environment should work together with Dúchas and NGOs to define the term turbary to cover both drainage and extraction.

3.19.4 Dúchas should publish guidelines of best practice for turbary activities so as to reduce the damage to peatlands.

about Cutaway & Cutover Bogs here: Cutover & Cutaway Bogs Explorer's Guide

Find out more: Effects of Turbary on Raised Bogs