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Conservation Council urges survey of bogs
Group wants important habitats included in Natural Heritage Areas

For Release 11th November 1999

The Irish Peatland Conservation Council has called on a national survey of cutover and cutaway bogs as a matter of urgency to identify sites and habitats of conservation importance for inclusion in the network of Natural Heritage Areas.

This is because its own survey of cutover and cutaway bogs in the midlands found there are far more vegetation and fauna left in the areas than they imagined.

The survey, according to Dr Catherine O'Connell of the IPCC, looked at 29 industrial cutaway and traditional hand cutover bogs in the midlands, where there are 300,000 hectares of such land.

The extensive survey carried out earlier this year, recorded 76 plant species lists, 31 quantitative vegetation descriptions and 56 faunal species lists.

In addition there were 118 plant, moss, fungal and lichen species and 110 animal species, including vertebrates and invertebrates, in the areas surveyed.

The large heath butterfly was recorded at one site and the marsh fritillary butterfly was recorded at two sites.

Both species are endangered due to habitat loss at European level.

Nine species of dragonfly and damselfly were found and this, according to Dr O'Connell, represents 41% of the species known to occur in Ireland.

Twelve vegetation types were identified for industrial and hand cut raised bogs ranging from pioneer communities established on bare peat to mature wetland and woodland communities found on bog sites that have been abandoned for 50 years or more.

She said the vegetation types identified included drain communities, Sphagnum (moss) filled bog holes, Calluna heathland, grassland and peat drying fields.

In addition there was pine-heath woodland, willow-birch woodland, wetland and reed bed, regenerating raised bog, pioneer plant communities and secondary fen.

Researchers also found that created wetlands within industrial cutaway bogs represented an important refuge for birds and vertebrate life.

The survey also found that 25% of the cutaway and cutover bogs visited are being used for education and amenity.

Dr O'Connell, who said the survey was sponsored by Bord na Móna and the Heritage Council, called for a national survey of cutover and cutaway bogs and she has written to the Minister responsible.

"This needs to be done before valuable sites are lost through development and neglect", she concluded. The IPCC can be contacted at 01-8722397.

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