Irish Raised Bog Conservation, Utilisation and After-Use Symposium Bookings Opens

For release 25 January 2001

BOOKINGS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR STUDY TOUR AND/OR CONFERNCE & POSTER ABSTRACTS ALSO BEING ACCEPTED

Tittle: Irish Raised Bogs Conservation, Utilisation and After-Use

Dates: Symposium 4 - 13 September 2001

Format: A symposium consisting of an 8 day study tour (4-11 September 2001)
Followed by a conference (12 September 2001).

The tour will showcase all aspects of the Irish midland peat resource
including the network of conserved raised bogs, archaeological sites, and
the after use of the raised bogs which have been extracted by hand and
industrially. The study tour will be followed by a day long conference.

The cost for study tour participants to include information pack, all
accommodation, foodand transport for study tour and conference will be
IR£499 Euro 634 (approx. US $ 600)

The cost for the conference £40 Euro 51. Price includes conference
registration fees, lunch, refreshments and symposium prospectus

The tour programme:

Tuesday 4
Tour Assembly & Welcome
Turraun Bog, Offaly - Natural regeneration of cutaway & CO2 emission
project

Wednesday 5
Tumduff, Offaly - Forestry on industrial cutaway bog
Lough Boora Parklands, Offaly - Created wetland vegetation and birdlife

Thursday 6
Clara Bog, Offaly - Restoration and conservation of raised bog
Raheenmore Bog, Offaly - Restoration and conservation of raised bog

Friday 7
Killaun, Offaly - Special Area of Conservation & species
conservation of cutover bog
Lemanaghan, Offaly - Dryland and wetland archaeological complex dating from
3500 BP to medieval period

Saturday 8 Free Day in Birr, Offaly

Sunday 9
Tullaghan Rock Bog, Roscommon - Conserving clusters of raised bogs, natural
lagg and old naturally regenerating cutover

Monday 10
Ballynamona Bog, Roscommon - Bog woodland and surface flush fens
Curraghlehanagh, Galway - Active raised bog conservation

Tuesday 11
Corlea Trackway, Longford - 2148 BP oak trackway, archaeological
conservation and interpretation

Wednesday 12
Conference in Portlaoise - See programme below for details

Thursday 13
Return to Dublin & Close of Symposium

____________________________________________________________________________

The study tour will be followed by a one day conference focusing on the main
themes of the symposium: Conservation, Restoration, Utilisation, After Use
and Rehabilitation of midland raised bogs. A feature of the conference will
be a 90 minute poster session allowing local and international
projects to exhibit their work.

Conference programme: 12 September 2001

9.30 Registration and Coffee

10.00 Opening & Welcome

Chair: Dr Rosaleen Dwyer, Irish Peatland Conservation Council

10.15 Dr. Peter Foss, Irish Peatland Conservation Council
Theme Utilisation of the Midland Raised Bog Resource

10.45 Dr. Alan Craig, Dúchas - The Heritage Service
Theme Ireland's Strategy for the Conservation of Midland Raised Bogs

11.15 Mr. Gerry McNally, Bord na Móna
Theme After-uses for Cutaway Raised Bogs

11.45 Close of Session

12.00 Lunch

Chair: Dr Rosaleen Dwyer, Irish Peatland Conservation Council

13.15 Three separate workshop sessions to make recommendations on the
future wise use, conservation and management of raised bogs

1 Utilisation:
Chair - Ms Gillian Boyle, UCD
Reporter Dr Ruth McGrath, IPCC
2 Conservation:
Chair - Professor Gerry Doyle, UCD Reporter Dr Fiona MacGowan, IPCC
3 After-Use:
Chair - Dr Tom O'Dwyer, Heritage Council
Reporter Dr Catherine O'Connell, IPCC

14.15 Poster Paper Exhibition

15.00 Coffee Break

15.30 Reconvene for workshop recommendations

16.30 Closing Comments
____________________________________________________________________________

If you or a colleague would like to, receive a booking form for the
Irish Raised Bogs - Conservation, Utilisation and After-Use please contact IPCC for a booking form.

IPCC, 119 Capel Street, Dublin 1, Ireland.
Tel& Fax +353-1-8722397
e-mail bogs@ipcc.ie
Web Site - http://www.ipcc.ie

The project is an initiative of the Irish Peatland Conservation Council