A raised bog of major heritage value will be destroyed if a peat mining company continues development, the Irish Peatland Conservation Council has warned. However, the developer of the bog, Bulrush Peat Company, defended its mining work and said the bog's heritage status had not been officially recognised.
Mouds Bog at Milltown, outside Newbridge, Co Kildare, is the largest area of uncut raised bog in the county. Raised bog is a popular wetland habitat for rare plants and birds.
This 300-hectare bog is a proposed Natural Heritage Area (NHA) and was recommended as a Special Area of Conservation in an independent consultants' report to Duchas, the heritage service.
Mouds Bog is home to sundew, a carnivorous plant which feeds off insects as well as some rare bog mosses, including several species of sphagnum. It is a habitat for birds such as the curlew, snipe, red grouse, kestrel and skylark.
Since 1995, part of the bog has been mined by the Bulrush Peat Company, based in Bellaghy, Co Derry. Mr Pat Walls, managing director, said that NHA status had only been proposed for the bog. "As far as we are concerned, that hasn't been established yet." He said Bulrush Peat would have discussions with Duchas if, and when, the site was designated as an NHA.
Mr Patrick Crushell, IPCC conservation officer, said the county council should stop the developer from doing more work on the site until planning permission is granted.
Mr Walls said planning permission was not required for the site because it was already being used for peat extraction when Bulrush Peat bought it.
A spokesman for Kildare County Council said it had contacted the company. "We are continuing discussions with a view to regularising the situation if it needs to be regularised," he said. The council was not neglecting it duties in the matter.
Although the site is just a proposed NHA, Duchas would not like to see it damaged in any way, a spokesman said.
"Until it has gone through the statutory process, it would seem to be a matter for the planning authorities," he said.
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