Farmers and researchers give historic bogs a new lease of life in Leitrim

For two years, researchers and farmers have worked to repair Leitrim’s historic bogs, tackling erosion, water pollution, and climate change in the county.

The WaterLANDS project, currently paused in Leitrim and Cavan until September to accommodate the ground bird nesting season, is part of a broader European effort to address wetland restoration across countries—from Bulgaria’s marshlands to the lagoons of Venus in Italy.

The Sliabh an Iarainn and Bencroy mountains in Leitrim have been the primary focus for researchers and farmers involved.

Funded by the European Union and the Shared Island project, this is one of the largest research experiments on blanket bogs in the world, with 50 monitoring points recording data on precipitation, humidity, and temperature in the bog.

The researchers are working with farmers to address issues on their land caused by the erosion of bog cover over time. These issues stem from several factors, including exposure to wind, rain, frost, fires on heather, and over-grazing.

The breakdown of the bogs, which are the largest carbon-saving landscapes in the world, leads to the release of large amounts of carbon, contributing to climate change.

“For us, it is very important to keep that carbon there. At the moment, what is happening is that because all of that soil is exposed, CO2 and CH4 emissions are going into the atmosphere,” says Dr. Guaduneth Chico León, action site coordinator of WaterLANDS.

Additionally, the lack of cover on top of the bogs results in soil sediments coming loose and ending up in the water supply, degrading water quality in the area.

“Right now, we are dealing with the consequences of the past, so we have to fix that,” says Dr. Chico. “We are taking actions to retain the soil at the top of the hill so it does not go into the water, which would degrade drinking water. By doing this, future water treatment will be cheaper.”

The actions being carried out aim to slow down the flow of water from the top of the bog to the bottom. Small wooden dams, around 10-20 cm high with holes in them, are being built at the top of the mountain, while stone dams are placed closer to the bottom. These dams slow the flow of water, giving the bog more time to retain moisture and promote the growth of heather and peat.

Additionally, biodegradable coconut blankets are being used to soak in water, retain moisture, and encourage vegetation growth higher up the mountains.

The initiative also focuses on cutting back invasive species of conifers at the edges of the bog, which rob moisture from the bog.

So far, the initiative has received an extremely positive response from farmers who have participated in training and open sessions. The success has been so great that more funding was required to keep up with demand. However, space is still available, and farmers are welcome to apply to have their land included when WaterLANDS resumes in September, according to Dr. Chico.

Of the roughly €3 million invested in the Waterlands project, 60% will go directly to the farmers, says Dr. Chico. Farmers who sign up receive training, materials, support, and payment for the labor they put into restoring their land.

The support and engagement of farmers are crucial, he adds: “The farmers who have joined the project have agreed to participate in the restoration. That has not happened before in Ireland. In other projects, there may have been interest from farmers, but when it came time to do the work on the ground, they may have said no, even though they didn’t disagree with the project.”

Two years into the initiative, the interventions are starting to take effect, but the results will take time. Peat grows at a rate of about 1mm per year.

“It’s already working very well, but we just need to wait a bit longer. I would say in a couple of years, we’ll see vegetation returning, and in five or six years, the bogs will be in really good shape,” says Dr. Chico.

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