EirGrid volunteers lend a hand at Peatlands Restoration Project in Wicklow

EirGrid was delighted to participate in the Peatlands Restoration Project in the Wicklow Mountains Special Area of Conservation recently. 

Led by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) with ReWild Wicklow & Mountaineering Ireland volunteers, the aim of the project is to restore the bog’s water retention capacity and regenerate vegetation. 

The work carried out included erecting fences, installing sediment traps, reprofiling peat hags, and reseeding areas of bare peat. 

Our team not only saw firsthand the impact of erosion on the peatlands, but also the benefits of ongoing measures to retain water such as the construction of dams using wood, stone and logs made of coconut fibres. 

EirGrid Lead Senior Ecologist Robert Fennelly said NPWS is doing crucial work, which is both sequestering carbon and restoring degraded bog habitats. 

Robert said this mirrors what EirGrid is doing, acting to mitigate against the twinned climate and biodiversity crises.