New Geography in Action Junior Cycle Geography CASE STUDY
Bord na Móna: sustainable exploitation of Ireland’s peat bogs
Key
and lowland blanket bogs Mountain blanket bogs
Main concentration of raised bogs
( Figure 16.22 The two types of bog in Ireland
Peat is a non-renewable natural resource that has been exploited in Ireland for hundreds of years. It has been a valuable source of heating and energy. We have two types of peat bogs in Ireland.
Raised bogs
• Found mostly in the midlands of Ireland • About 8 metres deep • Owned and harvested by families and industries
Traditionally, the turf was cut using a sleán, and many summer days would be spent harvesting the turf. The turf would then be dried out and brought home for the winter.
In 1946, Bord na Móna was established by the government to exploit and harvest peat on an industrial scale. Since then, 50,000 hectares of bogland under its control have been harvested, and burned at three power stations to generate electricity. That is an area about twice the size of the Burren.
: Figure 16.23 Sleán 298 Blanket bogs
• Found mainly in western counties • About 3–4 metres deep • Mostly owned and harvested by families
