P r e s s R e l e a s e

Take the - Bog Biodiversity Challenge

For release 19 February 1998

The Bog Biodiversity Challenge has been launched this week by the Irish Peatland Conservation Council.

In 1992 Ireland signed the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity which requires countries to adopt ways and means to conserve the variety of living species and to ensure the benefits from using biological diversity are equitably shared.

As Government prepares a National Biodiversity Plan, IPCC has made a detailed submission to them on the importance of boglands to the country's biodiversity. IPCC will also be lobbying to ensure that Ireland fully lives up to it's commitments to protect it's biodiversity of living species and bogland habitat.

Peatlands sustain a rich and unique range of habitats from lime-rich fens to acid bogs.

- 44% of Ireland's total Natural Heritage Area resource is peatland

- 15% of our original flora are peatland plants

- Some 59 species of bird are totally, or in some phases of their life-cycle, dependent on peatlands

- 49% of all endangered birds in Ireland occur in peatlands, most as breeding species

- 26% of our mammals are dependent on peatlands in some phase of their cycle

- 23% of the endangered plants in Ireland are peatland species

IPCC are asking people to take part in the Bog Biodiversity Challenge by visiting a bog and searching for any of the eight threatened species that they have picked as indicators of biological diversity in bogs. The species are all vulnerable because of the loss of habitats to afforestation, drainage, over-grazing and peat extraction.

The more species that occur on any one site the richer and more important the bog is in terms of its biodiversity. This will help to ensure that the best sites go forward for designation as Special Areas of Conservation in Europe.

The pack includes pictures to help identify the species, information and a record form. It will also include a donation form for those who cannot survey a site but would like to support IPCC's campaign to help protect biodiversity.

Funds raised will allow IPCC to publish a handbook on Peatland Conservation Management targeted at landowners. The guide will provide them with practical tips on how to manage a bog so as to conserve it's biodiversity.

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