Policy uptake explanation

Under the EU Habitats Directive the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) are obliged to complete a report every 7 years on the condition of designated habitats. The assessments carried out found that 10 years after the introduction of the habitats directive, no peatland type of priority importance in Ireland is in good conservation status. Fens were given a BAD assessment in this report due to the loss of their area, structure and function. The drivers of the loss of fens include peat mining, draining for cropland, infilling, fertiliser pollution, infrastructure developments and eutrophication.