What is a bog?
Bogs are wetland ecosystems that
have formed over thousands of years since the last ice age. They are solely rain-fed and consequently acidic
and low in nutrients. This creates the perfect conditions for the formation of peat which over long periods of time builds up to form raised domes that can be up to 10 metres in height. These type of bogs are termed 'lowland raised mires'.
Bogs have specialist plants & wildlife that are nationally and important, such as the Large Heath butterfly (see photo). Learn more about the Large Heath butterfly.
Bogs have specialist plants & wildlife that are nationally and important, such as the Large Heath butterfly (see photo). Learn more about the Large Heath butterfly.
Why do bogs need our help?
Unfortunately our bogs have been under-appreciated in the past, often being seen as poor land with little to offer. Consequently many bogs have been lost through drainage for forestry and agriculture or with the peat being stripped for horticultural use. Those bogs that have survived are often degraded as drainage has dried-out the surface of bogs and encouraged scrub encroachment. This not only threatens the specialist flora and fauna that thrive on bogs, but also causes the peat to release carbon into the atmosphere contributing towards climate change.
Bogs also provide services essential to the well-being of humans, such as improving water quality and storing carbon. The layers of peat are also living archives studied by scientists to reconstruct past landscape. Bogs are beautiful places with important spiritual, educational and recreational value.
80% of UK’s bogs are damaged and have stopped forming peat. The main threats to bogs are afforestation, peat cutting for horticulture, drainage for agriculture, overgrazing and fires.
Restoring bogs will improve biodiversity, help to prevent flooding, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands and restart the peat forming process.
Learn more about bogs in Scotland in this FREE (online) publication by Scottish Natural Heritage: 'Boglands'.
More links for Bogs and peatlands:
IUCN UK Peatland Programme - check out the Commission of Inquiry on Peatlands in the UK (2011), which holds many interesting key facts.
Scotland's Peatland Plan - published in 2015 the plan sets out a strategy for conserving Scotland's peatlands
80% of UK’s bogs are damaged and have stopped forming peat. The main threats to bogs are afforestation, peat cutting for horticulture, drainage for agriculture, overgrazing and fires.
Restoring bogs will improve biodiversity, help to prevent flooding, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands and restart the peat forming process.
Learn more about bogs in Scotland in this FREE (online) publication by Scottish Natural Heritage: 'Boglands'.
More links for Bogs and peatlands:
IUCN UK Peatland Programme - check out the Commission of Inquiry on Peatlands in the UK (2011), which holds many interesting key facts.
Scotland's Peatland Plan - published in 2015 the plan sets out a strategy for conserving Scotland's peatlands
