For Peat’s Sake

n an effort towards “addressing the climate and biodiversity emergencies”, the Luggala estate has announced a peatland restoration project.

Which means the restoration of its 1,3000 hectares of peatlands over several years.

Having been sold to the London-based Count Luca Rinaldo Contardo Padulli di Vighignolo (that’s one big business card) in 2019 for what many believe was less than its €28m asking price, the Luggala estate was previously owned for decades by the Guinness family.

Made up of blanket bog, wet heath and dry heath habitats, the estate’s peatlands provided emergency fuel during the second World War, whilst there was also extensive drainage in subsequent decades for forestry and grazing.

“This is an ambitious project that will take many years to complete,” Luggala’s environment manager Anthony Blanchfield told The Irish Times. “We will start with detailed ecological and hydrological studies, then focus on a target of restoring 150 hectares of blanket bog and improve heathland management on a futher 150 hectares of wet and dry heath.”

Acknowledging the important role bogs play in carbon sequestration, Blanchfield adds, “by rewetting and restoring the peatland habitats on Luggala we can make an important contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and make a response to biodiversity loss.”

Over the course of a year-long environmental investigation on the estate – in which Count Padulli di Vighignolo is said to have taken an active part – the ecosystem on Luggala was found to be in much poorer condition than anticipated. “We recognised the need to move quickly and decisively,” says Blanchfield, “to establish the peatland as a carbon sink and to restore its ecology.”

The peatland restoration programme is due to begin this year. In the meantime, on the question of access for walkers, a Luggala Estate spokeswoman said that it was “open to responsible walkers and in line with Covid-19 guidelines“.

Walkers are requested to email contact details and dates in advance of any planned walk to info@luggala.com, with access at weekends via the “kissing gate”. Further details here.

Topline pic: Phil McDarby. Now, catch a recent Wicklow Mountains fly-over right here.