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Peatland NHAs finally Receive Legal Protection

FOR RELEASE 17 October 2005

An intensive campaign to protect Irish peatlands, which has been ongoing
since 1989, has finally come to a successful close. Sixteen years ago the
Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC) provided information on site
destruction that resulted in the EU winning a case against the Irish
government regarding the lack of protection of Irish peatlands. The threat
of this case and of the fines that would ensue if the Irish government did
not act positively for bogs was behind many of the victories achieved for
the protection of Irish peatlands throughout the last sixteen years. For
example, the reduction of the minimum threshold for Environmental Impact
Assessments (EIAs) for peat extraction from 50 hectares to 30 hectares; the
designation of our best peatland sites as Special Areas of Conservation
(SACs); and now finally, it has resulted in a total of 70 raised bog and 73
blanket bog Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) being formally designated by the
Irish government. These sites are now legally protected in Ireland.

While IPCC are delighted with these results, there is still more work to be
done. All non-bog NHAs remain as proposed NHAs and, as such, receive no
legal protection, despite their conservation importance. IPCC are now
focusing the campaign effort on fens, which have been sadly neglected by the
government. IPCC are working together with three other Environmental
Non-Governmental Organisations (ENGOs) (An Taisce, Irish Wildlife Trust and
Coastwatch Ireland) to bring a number of issues to the attention of the
Minister for Environment, Mr. Dick Roche, including the lack of legal
protection for non-bog NHAs (including fens) and the management and
protection of our SACs and NHAs.

If you would like to support this campaign work, you can send a donation
or buy your Christmas cards and gifts at the IPCC Enviro Shop at the Bog of
Allen Nature Centre, Lullymore, Rathangan, Co. Kildare. You can visit the
shop, order by post, on-line or by phone. Telephone now for a free copy of
the IPCC Gift Catalogue. Tel: 045-860133. Website: www.ipcc.ie

ENDS