Ballynahone Bog facts for kids

Ballynahone Bog (which means "townland of the river" in Irish) is a very special place in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It's a type of wetland called a bog, which is like a giant, spongy mat of plants. This bog is located about 3 km south of Maghera, near the River Moyola. It is one of the largest lowland raised bogs in Northern Ireland.

What Makes Ballynahone Bog Special?

This bog is a "raised bog." This means it has grown upwards over thousands of years, forming a dome shape. It has unique features like bog pools (small ponds) and hummocks (little hills of plants). Around the main bog, you'll find areas where peat was once cut. There are also poor fen areas and birch woodlands.

The peat found here is made from dead plants and tree branches. It has built up over a very long time. For many years, people have been interested in using this peat.

Plants and Animals of the Bog

Ballynahone Bog is home to many interesting plants. You'll see lots of sphagnum mosses, which are like sponges that hold water. There are also small, shrubby plants like cross-leaved heath and heather.

Other common plants include hare's-tail cottongrass and common cottongrass, which look like fluffy white tails. You can also find deergrass and different types of sundew. Sundews are cool because they are carnivorous plants that catch insects! Bog Asphodel and White Beak-sedge also grow here. Sometimes, you might spot patches of Bog-myrtle.

Ballynahone Bog: A Ramsar Site

Ballynahone Bog is so important that it's been named a Ramsar site. This means it's recognized internationally as a wetland of great importance. The Ramsar site covers an area of 243.24 hectares.

It was given this special status on December 31, 1998. The bog is a great example of a lowland raised bog. It's one of the two largest active bogs in Northern Ireland that is still mostly untouched. It has special hummock and hollow pool areas. This makes it one of the best examples of this type of habitat in the United Kingdom.

Protecting the Bog: Peat and ASSI Status

For many years, people have wanted to dig up the peat from Ballynahone Bog. Peat is used for things like gardening. In 1979, a company started making peat products nearby. Later, in 1987, they asked for permission to dig up peat from Ballynahone and other bogs. Even though many people were against it, the government gave the company permission in 1988.

People were very worried about the bog. In 1990, a group called the Ulster Wildlife Trust invited people to take a "last walk" on the bog. This walk brought many people together. They held a public meeting and started a new group called the Friends of the Ballynahone Bog (FBB).

In 1991, the peat company dug many drains on the bog. This threatened the special plants that live there. The FBB worked hard to protect the bog. In 1993, they started trying to get Ballynahone Bog declared a National Nature Reserve. With help from Professor David Bellamy and Friends of the Earth, the government eventually took back the company's permission to dig peat. They also announced that the bog would become an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI).

In December 1993, the peat company helped by blocking the drains they had dug. This helped to keep the water level high in the bog. Finally, in January 1995, Ballynahone Bog was officially declared an ASSI. The FBB is now working with the Ulster Wildlife Trust. They are trying to fix the damage done to the bog. Their goal is to help the special bog plants, like the sundew, and the wildlife, such as insects and birds, to thrive again.