Laois Wetland Survey Results
The results of the Laois Wetland Survey to date are now available, click below for the report on the 2021 Desktop Study of all wetland sites in the county and the report of the 2022 field survey of selected sites. Laois County Council is grateful to Irish Wetland Surveys for their work in carrying out both of these studies, which provide a comprehensive baseline of the resource and its condition in Laois at present. We hope that future work will focus on further field study and restoration action at selected sites.
Thanks to the Wetlands Working Group of the Laois Heritage Forum who have guided and directed this work. Our sincere thanks also to the National Park and Wildlife Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage for funding the work to date under the Local Biodiversity Action Fund.
Our Wetlands Heritage event
Speakers
Patrick Crushell Wetland Surveys Ireland,
The Laois Wetland Survey
Aoife Kirk, Project Coordinator/ Community Engagement Officer
Connecting Communities with Peatlands
Mary Mulvey, Community Wetlands Forum
Recent work of Community Wetlands Forum Members
Followed by Q&A and informal networking
A partnership event between The Heritage Office of Laois County Council, Wetland Surveys Ireland and the Community Wetlands Forum.
The Laois Wetlands Survey is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under the Local Biodiversity Action Fund
For more information contact heritage@laoiscoco.ie
Laois Wetland Survey
Wetlands are crucial sites for biodiversity, and also serve other functions such as acting as carbon sinks and helping with flood mitigation. To plan properly for the conservation of these important sites in Laois, Laois Heritage Office, with support from the National Biodiversity Action Plan, has commissioned Wetland Surveys Ireland to carry out a survey of wetlands of all types in the county.
Phase I of the survey was carried out in 2021 – this was a desk study, using existing surveys and data to create a full picture of where the different wetland types were located across the county. Phase II will involve selecting a range of sites for a detailed field survey.
Wetland Surveys Ireland have created a series of storymaps showing wetlands in Ireland, with details of all wetlands in the country, and more detailed maps of wetlands in counties where full county surveys have already been completed. in time we hope that the Laois data will be available in a similar way.
Results and reports will be posted here when available.
Abbeyleix Bog
One of the best-known and most important wetlands in the County is Abbeyleix Bog, managed by the local community in partnership with Bord na Mona. As part of our focus on wetlands, the Heritage Office of Laois County Council has supported the work of the Abbeyleix Bog Project in carrying out research at the site in recent years. Details of surveys and reports are below.
Survey of Bryophytes & Swamp Woodlands in Abbeyleix Bog, 2021
Laois County Council is grateful to the National Biodiversity Action Plan, an initiative of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, for supporting the Laois Wetland Survey and Abbeyleix Bog Research.