About Us
The Slieve Bloom Nature Reserve is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), part of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Mountain blanket bog habitat is globally rare and in Europe occurs mainly in Ireland, the UK and Norway. In some parts of the Nature Reserve where the blanket bog and heath have been degraded, a variety of measures are being taken to improve habitat condition. One of the most serious threats to the Nature Reserve is the spread of conifer trees from surrounding plantations. As well as altering the water levels and water flow on the blanket bog, the spreading conifers alter the characteristic bogland flora and fauna of the site. NPWS has been removing conifers from the nature reserve for several years. However, this will require ongoing management as trees in adjacent plantations continue to produce seed. Some of the old drainage ditches have been blocked to raise the water table and aid habitat recovery.
Other management activities within the Nature Reserve include erosion and access control, law enforcement, species and habitat condition monitoring and environmental education.
Invasive conifer removal from the Nature Reserve
Ditch blocking restoring water levels and recreating wildlife habitats for birds and other animals on the Nature Reserve.