On the 28 July the Irish Peatland Conservation Council celebrated International Bog Day at the Bog of Allen Centre in Kildare with a celebration of the 30 Year Jubilee of the Dutch Foundation for Conservation of Irish Bogs which was founded in 1983 under the Chairmanship of Drs Matthijs Schouten.
Matthijs Schouten gave a very entertaining presentation on the fundraising and bog awareness raising work of the Dutch Foundation from 1983 to 1993, which culminated in the purchase of 4 Irish bogs which the Dutch people donated to the Irish people in the mid 1980's.
This was followed by a presentation by Jim Ryan, Senior Scientist at the National Parks and Wildlife Service who took up the story in 1993 and brought us forward to 2013 with a detailed account of the current work being undertaken in the developement of the National Raised Bog Conservation Plan.
Of course no birthday celebration would be complete without a gift to remember it by, and the Dutch Foundation once again showed its support for Irish bog conservation work being undertaken by the IPCC, with the presentation of a 30,000 Euro gift to support their peatland conservation work here in Ireland. Dr Catherine O Connell indicated that these funds were especially welcome at the moment as the Council had just signed contracts to purchase Girley Bog in County Meath for conservation.
Members of the Dutch Foundation and staff at IPCC with the cheque for 30,000 Euro to help bog conservation projects in Ireland.
The Dutch Foundation also presented Jim Ryan with a special award for his contribution to raised bog conservation in Ireland.
For further information on the Dutch Foundation for Conservation of Irish Bogs check out www.ipcc.ie