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IPCC campaigns for more fens to be designated SACs

For Release 11th June 1999

The Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC) is calling for 70 fen sites in Ireland to be declared Special Areas of Conservation (SAC). A fen is a marsh or swamp under the influence of alkaline groundwater. This peatland type is probably among the rarest occurring in Ireland.

As part of this campaign IPCC has submitted a report entitled Irish Fens, Special Areas of Conservation to the EU Commissioner for Environment and Nuclear Safety Madame Ritt Bjerregaard.

The report outlines the arguments supporting the call to designate a further 7,230ha or 70 fen sites containing Reed and Saw Sedge swamps as SACs in Ireland. These sites also support a variety of different animals and birds such as the Reed Bunting, Wren, Sedge Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler. The 70 new sites include lake edge fens, callows along river edges and valley fens.

There are over 200 fens in Ireland. To date the Irish Government have only declared 6 of these as SACs. "This is a gross under-representation of this endangered habitat type in Ireland" says Dr Peter Foss, Chairman of the IPCC.

Fens containing the saw sedge are a priority habitat for conservation under the European Union Habitats Directive. Among the additional 70 sites IPCC wants to see designated is Scragh Bog in Co. Westmeath and Tullagher Lough Bog in Co. Clare.

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