PRESS RELEASEClearing pathways to transnational peatland education and conservation.
IPCC’s Campaign Officer Katie Geraghty and Education Officer Nuala Madigan are to take part in a fact finding exchange mission focusing on peatlands to The Netherlands. They will visit the Bargarveen Nature Reserve in the North East of the Netherlands which is part of the larger Internationaler Naturpark Bourtanger Moor-Bargerveen which covers the Bargerveen and the Bourtanger Moor Reserve in Germany. They will also visit the Veenpark a peatland museum close to the Bargerveen Nature Reserve.
The aim of this mission is to explore the nature reserve and park and discuss peatland education and public awareness programmes that are taking place at these locations. This knowledge share will allow the development and expansion of the IPCC’s campaign, education and public awareness programmes. The peatland restoration and management techniques used in the Internationaler Naturpark will also be explored allowing for the transfer of knowledge and sound practices between the Dutch and Irish on the subject of peatland conservation and management. This will expand IPCC’s knowledge of Dutch techniques and may lead to the introduction of new techniques in Ireland.
The visit to Veenpark peat museum will allow IPCC staff to update their knowledge of the history of peatlands in the Netherlands. It will allow the upgrade of the peatland exhibition at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre.
There has been a strong Dutch-Irish connection with regards to peatland conservation and education throughout the years. However no one from the IPCC has been to visit Dutch peatlands in the past 20 years. This trip will allow IPCC staff to update their knowledge of peatland conservation in the Netherlands and transfer knowledge and inspiration with regards to public awareness and education. The trip will hopefully lead to a twinning of IPCC ‘s education centre and nature reserves with the Internationaler Naturpark Bourtanger Moor-Bargerveen and reinforce the Dutch-Irish friendship and encourage international connections to help enhance the future of international peatland conservation.
‘This trip will be very exciting and will be of great benefit to the development of the IPCC’s community education and public awareness programmes. It will be fascinating to see the different peatland restoration and management techniques used internationally. I am sure we will learn a lot from the Dutch and German park rangers’ says Katie Geraghty, IPCC’s Campaign Officer.
The IPCC would like to thank the Dutch Foundation for Conservation of Irish Bogs who are kindly sponsoring this trip.
For Further information please contact Katie at bogs@ipcc.ie