Road is to serve two plantations on cutover bog and traverses the cut-over bog
Details on the FLV.
Look at it with the Bing Maps layer on in the FLV for context.
Should taxpayers money be used to fund what is effectively an emissions project?
2000m of Forest Road in the most benign of locations would require a mandatory EIA. This is not far short in a far from benign location.
If DAFM FS rejects the application the landowners could be stuck timber that they cannot harvest on the basis of planting on the basis of DAFM FS approval
In summary, the services comprise the provision of ecological services to Bord na Móna in relation to the provision of baseline vegetation monitoring and analysis as part of the Enhanced Decommissioning, Restoration and Rehabilitation Scheme (EDRRS) (www.pcas.ie). (EDRRS is also known as the Peatland Climate Action Scheme (PCAS)).
This ecological monitoring will inform vegetation research on the classification of BnM cutaway bog vegetation that would eventually be published as an Irish Wildlife Manual. Methods in respect of the required baseline monitoring should follow the approach of Smith and Crowley (2020).
This would require a) survey work by suitably qualified ecologists to record vegetation quadrats and then b) interpretation and statistical analysis to classify the vegetation types based on the quadrat data.
It is expected that a new , robust system of vegetation classification for cutaway bog vegetation types would be developed and a final report published as an Irish Vegetation Manual.
WIND FARMS AND BLANKET PEAT The Bog Slide of 16th October 2003 at Derrybrien, Co. Galway, Ireland Richard Lindsay Olivia Bragg University of East London
If the Minister will not accept the UN recommendation for countries to leave untouched all peat soils of 10cm depth rather than afforesting and reafforesting sites with peat depths of 30cm, 40cm, and even 50cm peat [Written Answer 26/04/2023 Question Number(s): 135 Question Reference(s): 19661/23], can he at least assure the Deputy that he will end afforestation or reafforestation on peat soils of a greater depth than 15cm, given that his Government itself has published as part of the EU Green Deal ‘Keeping Ireland Green: 12 Stories about the EU and Ireland’s Environment’ with an introduction by Minister Ryan in which it is stated in Section 9 ‘A climate change solution beneath our feet’ that ‘It is estimated that a 15cm thick layer of peat contains more carbon per hectare than a tropical forest.’
Access to information held by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage relating to: all correspondence (including with operators, the EPA or Westmeath Co. Co.), inspector reports, including any photos/videos, maps, interview transcripts and other materials related to peat extraction within or adjacent to Milltownpass Bog Natural Heritage Area in the period 2021 to 2023
Tender for a desk study to update GIS data, and a number of related tasks, on the scale and impact levels of peat-cutting in blanket bog SACs designated to protect blanket bog and associated habitats, in Ireland.
This work will inform regulatory system for peat extraction on blanket bogs in such sites.
1.2 Background and Summary of Requirements Increased knowledge on the rate of loss and damage to rare and threatened habitats and species is reflected in legislation to protect these natural resources in particular the EU Habitats, Birds and EIA Directives and the Wildlife Acts (1976) and Amendments (2000).
One of these habitats is blanket bog which, according to the survey of Hammond (1979), once covered an estimated 773,860 ha in Ireland and despite, large scale losses, is still our most extensive peatland habitat. Ireland also has particular responsibility for blanket bog as it holds (along with Scotland, Norway and NW Spain) a significant proportion of the global resource and the largest remaining resource of, Atlantic blanket bog, a hyper-oceanic bog type.
Ireland is also now the only EU country with lowland blanket bog habitat. Under the EU Habitats Directive 55 Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) have been designated as SAC for the protection of blanket bog.
The work entails provision of an update (based on interpretation of recent aerial imagery) of GIS data and site summary reports of 2015 review of blanket bog SACs (Table 1 in RFT) and to apply original review method and update to 5 additional blanket bog SACs (Table 2) and to analyse trends in peat-cutting.
A critical review of draft turbary management zoning and overview reports (from earlier review of 10 SACs (Table 4 in RFT) is also required to consider improvements if needed in approach to inform how draft provisional /indicative management zoning should be applied (and to apply this) to remaining SACs (and if needed to update same for those 10 SACs) using imagery review results with key biodiversity data.
Year 3 of the scientific work to inform a system for the management of turf-cutting in designated blanket bog SACs and NHAs:Applying Provisional Management Zones VOLUME 1 – SECOND DRAFT (Version 02a)
Simon J. Barron, Botanical, Environmental and Conservation Consultants Ltd., (BEC Consultants)
February 2018. Prepared for the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
