Useful Data for Irish River Conservation / Water Quality

Under the EU’s Habitats Directive, 57 sites have been designated as SACs specifically for their raised bog habitat. This is one of the rarest habitats in the world; in Ireland the extent of ‘active’ raised bog (i.e. where wet peat was still growing) was mostly recently calculated at 0.6% of its original extent. However, this figure is now likely to be significantly smaller.

Details sent to the IWT (and reproduced below) show that of the 57 SACs, turf-cutting was monitored by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) at half of the sites (28 SACs) since 2016.

https://iwt.ie/press-release-unlawful-turf-cutting/

Various court reports on illegal turf cutting

€5,000 fine issued for illegal turf-cutting in Westmeath

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/high-court/man-alleged-to-have-interfered-with-co-westmeath-heritage-area-1.4271864

Man agrees to comply with Milltownpass Bog orders

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/circuit-court/a-great-day-for-rural-ireland-turf-cutting-prosecution-collapses-1.4177769

https://www.thejournal.ie/surveillance-turf-cutting-1103431-Sep2013/

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/government-lacks-will-to-end-illegal-turf-cutting-on-protected-bogs-environmentalist-group-says-1.1501217

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/new-peat-cutting-rules-mean-bog-destruction-will-continue-says-action-group-1.3781929?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fenvironment%2Fnew-peat-cutting-rules-mean-bog-destruction-will-continue-says-action-group-1.3781929

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/turf-cutters-receive-9m-for-closure-of-raised-bogs-1.1872695?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fenvironment%2Fturf-cutters-receive-9m-for-closure-of-raised-bogs-1.1872695

https://www.independent.ie/business/farming/the-battle-for-the-bogs-34776446.html

https://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0509/391378-turf-cutting-kerry/

https://www.independent.ie/business/farming/rural-life/rangers-and-gardai-chased-us-off-the-bog-turf-cutters-on-tenterhooks-ahead-of-possible-ban-36824785.html