The Irish Peatland Conservation are celebrating International Bog Day at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre this Sunday 27th July from 2-5pm. Visitors can expect an information talk on the diversity of wildlife found on peatlands througout Ireland followed by a guided flora safari over Lodge Bog a protected raised bog habitat. Also at the centre younger visitors can discover wildlife through nature based activities including pond dipping, amphibian searches and insect eating plants. While the peatland exhibition and wildlife gardens of the centre will also be open to visit and relax in with a complimentary cup of tea or coffee and tasty homemade treat.
International Bog Day is an annual event established in Scotland in 1991 and celebrated througout Northern Europe, Canada and America. This year the IPCC issued a global invitation to friends of peatlands in Canada, America and Europe to join us and celebrate the wet and wonderful nature of Irish peatlands as part of our community tourism diaspora project supported by Failte Ireland, IPB insurances and Kildare County Council.
The Irish Peatland Conservation Council have also linked with groups throughout the island of Ireland to promote this event nationally with events running in Counties Offaly, Meath, Roscommon, Armagh and Mayo. Throughout Ireland people can enjoy bog snorkelling at the Northern Ireland Bog Snorkelling Championship 2014 in Co. Armagh or in Co. Offaly a bog bodies talk by Eamonn Kelly, Head of Antiquities, National Museum of Ireland at Clara Bog visitor centre. In Co. Meath Meath EcoTours have organised a bog scavenger Hunt and Elderlfower Cordial Tasting while in Co. Mayo a guided walk at 2pm will be led by guides of Ballycroy National Park visitor centre along the Tóchar Daithí Bán Nature Trail. At Ballydangan Bog in Co. Rosocmmon an information walk will be led by David Fallon at 1pm discovering the local history and wild plants and animals of this peatland. For full details on any of these events visit www.ipcc.ie and follow the link from the homepage.
Peatlands are located throughout the island of Ireland and the Irish Peatland Conservation Council have put together a peatland passport that highlights a selection of peatland nationally that offer visitors a safe peatland to explore local to them.
Please visit www.ipcc.ie for details of the peatland passport of Ireland.
So this Sunday, 27th July, why not take part in one of the many peatland events running nationally or simply enjoy a walk through the beautiful peatland landscape local to you and watch the darting dragonflies as they hunt for prey or find the sticky sundew as it waits to trap insects for its dinner
