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.