Rewetting bog benefits landowners and environment

BOGLAND where forestry has been harvested should be looked at for rewetting instead of the intended replanting, a move that would bring greater environmental benefits.

The suggestion was mooted during a decarbonising presentation to members of the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District.

An area of Lackaduff bog, located between Charlestown and Ballaghaderreen, has been rewetted. This involves blocking drains to raise the water table.

Surrounded by acres of forestry, this plot of peat now stores as much carbon as the extensive tree plantations around it.

The discussion arose during a presentation by Gary Smyth on behalf of the Kiltimagh decarbonising zone committee.

He outlined plans to reduce the town's carbon footprint by retrofitting homes and focusing on the 'last kilometre' through low energy travel like walking and cycling on a network of mapped paths, roads and trails, with support services like storage for equipment and shelters.

Protection of natural resources is another strand and he focused on peatlands and rewetting, where benefits include improved biodiversity. Community engagement is a key element.

Rewetting locks in carbon and we can sequester it and generate future income for land owners and farmers from it, he explained, as well as improving biodiversity and habitats.

Currently we don't have a carbon market in Ireland, where organisations will pay you money to sequester carbon on their behalf, which will generate income.

We also need to introduce a peatland code for Ireland, he said.

Councillor Gerry Murray said a lot of bog and marginal land was planted over the years and farmers starting to harvest it now realise that had they left it the way it was they would be far better off.

The amount of carbon that would have been saved by not planting those bogs is enormous.

What was needed was a multi-prong strategy if we were going to address climate change, he said.

Councillor Richard Finn said it has to be viable for the owners of bogs to generate carbon sinks.

Many of the trees coming off bogland now were unfit for purpose and the land should not be replanted again. They were ideal places for rewetting, he suggested, and the council should make contact with Coillte to see what land is available.

Engagement with communities and adjoining landowners was stressed by Mr. Smyth.

He said: "We have a resource and we are not protecting it. We need to start this conversation with communities."