IFA and Bord Na Móna Hold First Virtual Meeting of Working Group
The IFA and Bord na Móna Working Group held their first virtual meeting on the Peatland Climate Action Scheme last week.
IFA Deputy President Brian Rushe said it was a positive first meeting of the group.
He said, “I look forward to working closely with Bord na Móna over the next four years as the Peatland Climate Action Scheme rehabilitation works get underway in the 82 bogs identified”.
“The scale of the project is ambitious, and the timeline for implementation short, particularly in light of the current COVID-19 restrictions. This limits opportunities for local farmers and communities to engage with the process fully,” said Mr Rushe.
At the meeting, Bord na Móna gave a presentation on the Peatland Climate Action Scheme, which provided insight into the planning process, hydrological assessments, and the management of previous rehabilitation projects.
The IFA Deputy Presidents said, “It was beneficial to receive detailed information about the scheme but that many questions remained unanswered. Farmers have significant concerns. Bord na Móna must address them”.
During the meeting, it was agreed that Bord na Móna would:
- Provide written responses to the questions asked by farmers from the Q&A session at the recent IFA meeting on Bog Rewetting,
- Give an overview of the hydrological assessment, including the procedures for estimating and predicting water on a specific site.
The Working Group will meet again in late March to continue to review the implementation of the Peatland Climate Action Scheme, particularly in the 19 bogs proposed for rehabilitation in 2021
Notes to Editors:
- A dedicated Peatland Climate Action Scheme website has been developed: https://www.bnmpcas.ie/
- Conor Feighery, Peatland Climate Action Scheme, Community Liaison M. 087 3779841 or E. [email protected].
- The Draft Rehabilitation Plans for bogs proposed for rehabilitation in 2021: https://www.bnmpcas.ie/bogs-peatlands-climate-action-scheme/
