Rewetting project to create wildlife sanctuary

An ambitious project which involves rewetting sections of a blanket bog near Mullagh in West Clare has been announced.

Funded by Clare County Council‘s Biodiversity Office and the Local Biodiversity Action Fund (National Parks and Wildlife Service), the project aims to rewet sections of 27-acres of peatlands.

Those behind the project say the rewetting of the blanket bog, which is home to two rare and protected birds, the merlin and the hen harrier, will provide a wildlife sanctuary for numerous species of conservation concern

Speaking about the Knocknahila Bog Peatland Rewetting Project, local farmer Seán Tubridy said, “We have 27 acres of cut away bog that we did not want to plant in forestry.”

He continued, “Rewetting allows the bog to do what it does best in growing a wide variety of mosses and plants, which, in turn, sequesters carbon and also improves the environment for hen harrier, merlin, larks and other birds to roost, nest and feed. We also expect to see a big increase in frogs, newts, pond skaters, damselflies and dragonflies.”

“We hope that this project can be used as an example for other farmers who have a similar size farm set up as ourselves, and rather than planting, to rewet bogs to improve conditions for biodiversity. Our cattle still graze grassland around the edge of the bog. We welcome farmers to come and see for themselves,” he added.

The Knocknahila blanket bog was cut for turf more than 100 years ago but eventually this practice ceased.

Over time, the local drainage network broke down, leading to the natural rewetting of sections of the bog as the drains blocked with mosses and the water table started to rise near the surface once more.

This created ideal conditions for Sphagnum moss, the main peat-forming agent of bogs, to take over and colonise on the bog.