The great Central Plain of Ireland also known as the Bog of Allen, is an area of over 100,000 hectares spanning Kildare and our midland counties. Once a complex of vast raised bog it is now a mosaic of peatlands, remnants of active raised bog, cut-over bog with exposed bare peat, farmland, fen and woodland.

Following the announcement by the Irish Government in 2021 that all peat extraction would cease and the commitment by Bord na Mona (the state- owned peat company) to rehabilitate some bogs under its management, a group of voluntary groups and charities formed the National Peatland Park Group. The Group’s mission is to create a National Peatlands Park for the midlands, to celebrate peatland heritage, promote conservation, restore biodiversity and advance scientific research, paleo-archaeology and new scientific disciplines. The group see new socio-economic benefits for local communities following the loss of employment in industrial sectors.

The Peatlands Park, already an area of international significance, will drive eco-tourism and sustainable development in the midlands.

Just 3% of the world’s surface is peatlands- these peatlands hold up to 10 times more carbon per meter than rain forests so they are vital in terms of climate change. 16% of Ireland is peatlands- so we are  globally important in this important habitat. Kildare has 10,390 hectares of peat bogs

Intact active bogs are a carbon sink- but exposed bare peat is a carbon source. So it is really important that we rehabilitate these peatlands to ensure they remain wet and therefore act as a carbon sink.

The Kildare County Development Plan was published in 2023 (Kildare County Development Plan 2023 - 2029 - Kildare County Council (kildarecoco.ie)) We are delighted that the National Peatlands Park has been included in the Plan. But this is just the first step. We now need to persuade Bord na Mona to designate 70% of their bogs in Kildare for biodiversity and the Government to formally designate the former Bog of Allen in Kildare as the gateway to our National Peatlands Park. 

Bord na Mona has plans to develop wind and solar energy projects on much of this area so it is vital that they are made aware that people want to see the majority of their landholding restored for biodiversity. While we absolutely need renewable energy sources, it isn’t possible to develop them on bogs and retain the biodiversity value as the bogs need to be drained to allow for the infrastructure (not just turbines and solar panels, but also pylons, access roads and so forth). The plans by Bord na Mona are well advanced so we need people to make their opinions known NOW.

Please sign the petition below to help support the creation of the National Peatlands Park and join No Planet B Club and the National Peatlands Park group in our mission to

“Think globally and ACT locally!”

For more information check out noplanetb.ie and nationalpeatlandspark.com