Planning the future for Ireland's Blanket Bogs

Ireland has two types of bog habitat: Raised Bogs and Blanket Bogs. Raised bogs are predominantly across the midlands and formed through slow infilling of lakes with peat. Blanket bogs are in the west of the country and mountain ranges across Ireland where high rainfall and poorly drained soils result in sufficient water-logging to promote peat growth. While raised bogs have been given much publicity and the Government are soon to produce a Raised Bog SAC Management Plan blanket bogs are often neglected and work needs to be done now to ensure the preservation of this rare habitat into the future. This short questionnaire is to see how much knowledge is out there on blanket bogs and assess the threats that these habitats face right now and in the future. The survey being carried out by the Irish Peatland Conservation Council and is kindly supported by the Irish Environmental Network.