Press Release
Bad news for bogs as designated areas set to lose protections
4th July 2023
The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) is appalled that the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016 is set to be passed by the Oireachtas (it is scheduled to be presented to the Dáil tomorrow evening, July 5th). The Bill, if enacted, will allow for the removal of legal protections from up to 46 sites which are currently protected as Natural Heritage Areas (NHA) for their raised bog habitats[i].
The removal of these protections will legalise the mechanical extraction of turf and so the permanent destruction of the bog habitats.
While the decision was made in light of wider measures under the
National Peatlands Strategy over a decade ago in order to attain ‘favourable status’ for raised bogs[ii], among the world’s rarest habitats’, the demands of the climate and biodiversity emergency now demand a rethink.
Indeed, the Climate Action Plan (pg235), published only last year, committed to restoring and rewetting NHAs – how can the Government now be moving to remove protections when this is exactly the opposite of what needs to be done?
IWT campaign officer Pádraic Fogarty says “At Montreal last year governments from around the world committed to protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030 as part of a deal to protect and restore nature. Ireland supported this deal and even joined a ‘
High Ambition Coalition’ furthering the aim. Yet what we see at home is the exact opposite. When we know we need to protect all of our peatlands for the climate, biodiversity and water benefits they bring, it’s impossible to understand how the Government feels that promoting more peat mining is the right thing to be doing.”
The Wildlife (Amendment) Bill is not all bad. The Bill will provide a legal footing for the National Biodiversity Action Plan, an essential step in implementing the measures they contain. The IWT warmly welcomes this change but it is lamentable that it comes with a weakening of protections on the ground for bogs, and sends yet another signal that this Government is not serious about making the changes that are needed to address the climate and biodiversity emergency.
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[i] This decision was the product of
a review of the NHA network carried out by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, in 2014.
[ii] The removal of designations will come with the designation of new NHAs that are mostly in public ownership.
ENDS
