IPCC’s Annual Report & Financial Statements 2023

The Irish peatland Conservation Council Committee of Management are delighted to present the Annual Report and Financial Accounts of the Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC) for 2023.  During the year, we welcomed the recommendations made for peatlands within the report from the Citizen Assembly on Biodiversity Loss. These closely align with the IPCC’s Peatland Conservation Action Plans 2020 and 2030.

We undertook a number of peatland research projects including:
* Estimating the store of carbon on Killyconny Bog SAC, Co. Cavan.
* Completing a two year Sphagnum moss transfer restoration on Cloncrow (New Forest)
Bog NHA, Co. Westmeath as part of our work on the Interreg North-West Europe,
Care-Peat.
* Developing a community-based Conservation and Management Plan for Griston
Bog, Co. Limerick.

We continued to monitor peatland sites nationally, responding to scoping and planning applications and making submissions in regard to rehabilitation works on Bord na Móna Peatland Climate Action Scheme (PCAS) sites.

We met with over 1000 visitors and groups during the year both at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre and nationally through our peatland education outreach programme. A new fence and gates were installed at the centre.

There were no changes to the IPCC Committee of Management in 2023. We welcomed three new patrons: Tina Claffey, Kathrine Geoghegan and Helen Conneely.

The voluntary Committee of Management held eight meetings in 2023. Topics of discussion included the regulation of IPCC’s finances and operations, health and safety assessments and compliance with the Charities Regulator governance code.

We are grateful for all who contributed financially to the Save the Bogs Campaign in 2023, including Friends of the Bog, public bodies and philanthropic individuals and groups.

We wish to thank the IPCC volunteers and staff that worked throughout the year taking action for peatlands. The difference they and other supporters made can be seen in the details of our work in the following pages.