About the reserve

We’ve teamed up with the An Creagán Centre to transform this former commercially harvested bog, outside Omagh, into a thriving demonstration hub for peatland restoration – the first of its kind for Northern Ireland.

Building on our experience and expertise in peatland restoration, we will rewet and rejuvenate Haughey's Bog which was previously drained and cut for turf, using a variety of best practice techniques such as peat dams and bunds.

These interventions will help trap water on the bog, allowing peat-forming plants to grow again and wildlife to recover, as well as reducing carbon emissions, helping to move the site towards carbon storage.

Monitoring the water table, and greenhouse gas emissions, alongside monitoring specialist plants such as sphagnum mosses, and iconic wildlife such as snipe and large heath butterfly, will help assess the effectiveness of restoration.

The aim is to share knowledge and learning with practitioners, farmers, contractors and researchers facing similar challenges across peatland landscapes at home and further afield, with techniques and the latest research showcased.

Events and training days will also be delivered at the nearby An Creagán Centre to engage local landowners and the community in peatland restoration and to share the rich heritage of the area – from the nearby standing stones and twisted remnants of ancient bog pines to the homestead of Peadar Joe Haughey, after whom the bog is named.

Located just 100 m north, hidden out of sight by surrounding conifers, is Black Bog Special Area of Conservation, one of the most intact areas of active raised bog in Northern Ireland. We are working with the Forest Service Northern Ireland to convert the conifer plantation, which surrounds Haughey’s bog, back into its natural bog habitat, which would enable us to join up these two peatland sites.

The resulting bigger, better, and more connected space for nature will allow wildlife to move, adapt, and thrive, creating a wider peatland Nature Recovery Network, over 200 ha in size. This boost will provide an opportunity to showcase a range of restoration techniques, all within easy reach of one another.

Thanks to our funders and supporters

The acquisition of Haughey's Bog was made possible thanks to funding from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), a philanthropic loan from John Smith, and gifts in wills from Ulster Wildlife members. 

Gifts in wills allow Ulster Wildlife to protect and buy more land for nature, save more species and ensure that future generations can experience nature. But nature needs more people to consider this powerful way of giving. Find out more about leaving a gift in your will.