Latest news with #IrishPeatlandConservationCouncil
Agriland
25-05-2025
- Science
- Agriland
What is so special about bogland biodiversity?
The bogland of Ireland is home to a variety of plants and animals, many of which cannot be found living in other Irish habitats. To survive in the wet and open bogland habitat plants and animals have had to adapt. To mark National Biodiversity Week, the Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC) has offered an insight into why bogland biodiversity is so special. The national charity which works towards the conservation of a representative sample of Irish peatlands for people to enjoy today and in the future. Bogland According to the IPCC, sphagnum mosses can hold up to ten times their own weight in water as they have internal specialised cells known as hyaline cells. There are over twenty different species of sphagnum moss found on Irish bogs, which are known as the 'bog builders'. The ability of sphagnum mosses to store water helps to prevent flooding in communities, one of the many ecosystem services of this type of habitat, the council added. The IPCC said that boglands are also the only habitat in Ireland where you will find cranberries growing, a food that was traditionally picked to make preserves for the winter ahead. Biodiversity A bogland is 90% water and 10% dead plants. The surface of a bog is made up of drier hummocks and wetter bog pools. There is a great diversity of invertebrate communities living within these bog pools, including Ireland's largest spider, the raft spider. The pools also act as important nurseries for the larval stages of many species of damselfly and dragonfly. Two of Ireland's amphibians – the common frog and smooth newt – both lay their eggs in bog pools where their young develop. The presence of these invertebrates and amphibians in turn support bird life including the curlew and snipe. These birds both have long beaks to probe deep under the surface of the bog pools in search of a tasty meal. Due to the wet and nutrient poor nature of these habitats, the growth of taller plants is not supported and as a result all bogland plants are low growing. Bogland birds must nest on the open bogland habitat relying on heather for shelter. Ireland's insect eating plants, the native sundew and butterwort, have adapted to trap and eat insects rather than depending on absorbing nutrients from peat. The IPCC said that species such as the large heath butterfly, red grouse, cottongrasses and devil's matchstick lichen can all be described as 'iconic bogland biodiversity'. 'What's so special about bogland biodiversity? The variety of, their quirky adaptations and the many services they provide for us all combine to make bogland biodiversity special,' the council added.
Agriland
17-05-2025
- Agriland
Embark on a peatland adventure with Féile an Dúlra this week
The Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC) has planned a busy summer of peatland and nature-themed events as part of Féile an Dúlra 2025, the council's festival of nature. The festival kicked off on World Wetlands Day in February with the launch of the national 'Hop to It' frog survey, and was followed in April by World Curlew Day. A week of free events has been planned as part of National Biodiversity Week, running until May 25. Today (Saturday, May 17), the IPCC will hold a guided peatland nature walk to Lodge Bog in Co. Kildare, starting from the Bog of Allen Nature Centre at 10:00a.m. IPCC guides will share the diversity of peatland birds that use this raised bog for nesting or feeding, and visitors will also get the opportunity to discover the variety of fascinating peatland plants. From Monday, May 19 to Friday, May 23 10:00 a.m.-4:00p.m., there will be free admission to the Bog of Allen Nature Centre, where the history, cultural traditions, flora and fauna and archaeological importance of peatlands can be discovered within the peatland exhibition. The peat-free wildlife gardens will also be open, allowing visitors to explore the largest public display of carnivorous plants in Ireland and the UK. On Tuesday, May 20 at 11:00a.m, the IPCC will host a butterfly walk at Lullymore West nature reserve. Lullymore West is known nationally as a butterfly haven, as 26 of Ireland's 35 butterfly species have been recorded on the site, including the threatened marsh fritillary butterfly. In collaboration with the Native Woodland Trust, the IPCC will guide a walk and talk at Girley Bog on Wednesday, May 21, meeting at Girley Hall at 7:00p.m. This will provide an opportunity to learn all about bog habitats and the various plants and animals that call this precious habitat home. For those who do not have time to join one of the biodiversity walks, there is still an opportunity to learn about peatland biodiversity as the IPCC will host an online talk at 1:00pm on Thursday, May 22, titled 'Lunchtime with IPCC'. All the events are free and people are encouraged to get involved and explore their peatland heritage for Biodiversity Week. The IPCC has lots more events planned for later this summer, with a bat walk on June 20, International Bog Day on July 26 and Heritage Week from August 16.
