Moneystaghan Bog ASSI

The area is of special scientific interest because of its physiographical features and peatland flora and associated fauna. Biological interest relates to the intactness of the lowland raised bog deposits, in addition to the diversity of the vegetation and the presence of rare and notable species. Situated 5km northwest of Lough Beg, Moneystaghan Bog represents one of the largest remaining areas of uncut lowland raised bog in Northern Ireland. It is a remnant of a once extensive system of raised bogs that developed along the Bann River Valley. Although a number of activities, including peat cutting have occurred around the periphery of the bog, the majority of this extensive peatland remains intact.

The deep peat deposits at Moneystaghan Bog have formed within a series of natural topographical depressions to the west of the River Bann. Over thousands of years impeded drainage and waterlogged conditions have led to the formation of the raised bog on either side of an esker ridge which runs from the north to the south of the area. Because of the size of the bog and the complexity and depth of the peat, Moneystaghan Bog exhibits a wide range of characteristic structural features, with extensive pool, hummock and lawn complexes and an internal soak occurring within the bog plain.
The bog vegetation is characterised by a high cover of bog-moss, ericoid dwarf-shrubs and other associated plants, with the composition and abundance of these components depending on local edaphic (pertaining to or conditioned by soil) factors, especially the relative position of the water table. The bog surface is very wet and is generally dominated by the dwarf shrubs heather and cross-leaved heath with hare’s-tail cottongrass, common cottongrass and deergrass over a bog-moss carpet. Over much of the bog surface, these mosses are dominated by red bog-moss, Papillose bog-moss and Magellanic bog-moss. In addition, the bog also supports the notable hummock-forming species Austin’s bog-moss and rusty bog-moss
Within Moneystaghan Bog the pool complexes, internal soaks, water-logged ‘lawns’ and many of the old cuttings are exceptionally wet, with the water-table extending to the bog surface. Species are characterised by bog asphodel, white beak-sedge and common cottongrass.

The pool complexes exhibit a series of elongated pools in a concentric pattern and are typically dominated by feathery bog-moss, with bogbean abundant in a number of them. The insectivorous round-leaved sundew and more notably great sundew and the nationally rare golden bog-moss are also prevalent around the pool margins.
The soak systems support similar species with a luxuriant and diverse bog-moss carpet. Additional species include cranberry and the rare bog-rosemary, which occurs here at one of only several known sites in Northern Ireland.

Additional habitat diversity is provided by areas of old peat cuttings and the esker ridge which runs through the middle of the bog. The peat cuttings are at different successional stages where, depending on peat depth and age of cutting, a variety of habitats have developed based on the nutrient and hydrological status of the underlying soil. The peat cuttings on the western periphery of the intact peat surface support actively regenerating bog vegetation, with extensive areas of open water and an abundance of the rare golden bog-moss, a species that is more typical of natural pool complexes. In cut-over areas that are comparatively freely-draining, downy birch and willow woodland with a herb layer dominated by purple moor-grass has developed. These wet woodland communities are largely restricted to the northern and southern margins of the bog. Where the peat cuttings are deepest to the north of the intact bog surface, plant communities vary from swamp vegetation dominated by common reed, bottle and water horsetail, through acid fen, to localised pockets of species-rich fen where ground waters influence the vegetation composition. The notable lesser tussock-sedge occurs in this species-rich fen community. In contrast, the esker ridge which is composed of sands and gravels deposited at the end of the last ice-age, supports a small area of hazel woodland with blackthorn.

Moneystaghan Bog also provides important habitats for a range of animals including breeding birds, mammals and invertebrates. The intact surface of the bog is especially important for feeding and breeding waders such as curlew and snipe. In addition, there is evidence of badger activity within the scrub woodland on the esker ridge.

Site Related Documents

Site map (.PDF 2.8Mb) and Combined Citation and Views about Management document (.PDF 386Kb).