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Victory for raised bog conservation

For release 26 November 2002

Twenty more raised bogs are to be protected as Special Areas of Conservation
(SAC) under the EU Habitats Directive.

In a recent statement (19 November 2002) Minister Martin Cullen T.D. has
agreed to IPCC's demands to protect more raised bogs in Ireland so that a
representative sample are conserved in the SAC network. In addition a
further 80 raised bogs are to be the first to be designated as Natural
Heritage Areas under the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000.

The Minister's commitment is a victory for raised bog conservation and has
been welcomed by the IPCC who have campaigned on this issue for 20 years.

With this move an extra 3,450 ha of raised bogs will be conserved in the 20
sites.

"Raised bogs are our most threatened wetland type and amid fears of their
extinction from peat mining - this is an outstanding achievement" says Dr
Peter Foss, Chairman of IPCC.

IPCC has been leading the longest running conservation campaign to save our
vanishing raised bogs. This has already helped to protect 9,400 ha of
raised bog and their wildlife in some 37 sites around the country.

"Raised bogs take 10,000 years to grow. A man in a bulldozer can destroy one
in just 10 days. At least these sites will now be saved for people to
experience and enjoy the feeling of a day on the bog" says Dr Foss.

ends
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Irish Peatland Conservation Council
119 Capel Street
Dublin 1
Ireland

Tel & Fax +353-1-8722397
Tel +353-1-8722384
e-mail: bogs@ipcc.ie
web: www.ipcc.ie

Action for Bogs & Wildlife