Drain Blocking on Lodge Bog for Bog Restoration, Co Kildare

kildare | environment | event notice Sunday August 23, 2009 23:23 by IPCC - IPCC

Heritage Week - Bog Restoration

Drain Blocking on Lodge Bog, Co. Kildare 22nd-29th Aug

As part of Heritage Week, The Irish Peatland Conservation Council have organized a week of drain blocking on a recently purchased extension to Lodge Bog, Co. Kildare. The aim of this work is to raise the water table of this formerly drained area of the bog complex to allow for the return of the bog’s natural flora and fauna.

Active bogs can accumulate approximately 0.7 tonnes of carbon per hectare per year. This means that the newly purchased area could eventually store 2.45 tonnes of carbon per year, once the water table is raised and the peat forming vegetation returns.

The daily timetable will be

10:00 am: Meeting at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre.

10:30 am: Bringing equipment to the bog and blocking drains

1:00 pm : Lunch

2:00 pm : Back to blocking

4:00 pm : Finish up and return to the centre.

What you’ll need

* A packed lunch
* Wellies
* A waterproof jacket and trousers

If anyone is interested in helping out just contact me on 087 - 314 2892.

Is mise, le meas,

Cillian Breathnach MSc

Conservation and Reserves Officer

Irish Peatland Conservation Council

Directions to the Bog of Allen Nature Centre:

From Dublin take the Maynooth exit off the N4, turning at the roundabout onto the road marked Straffan/Clane/Naas. At the roundabout of Barberstown Castle, take the exit for Clane. Drive into Clane. Drive through the traffic lights in the centre of the town. Take the right hand turn in Clane at the Corner Pub (yellow building) onto the R403 to Prosperous and Allenwood. Drive through Allenwood. Less than half a mile outside Allenwood, take the left turn over the skew canal bridge onto the R414. If you miss this turn you will end up in Carbury. Drive for three miles. This brings you to the Bog of Allen Nature Centre on the right hand side of the road. It’s a long green building.