‘It takes a village to restore a peatland’ - Laois hosts bog eco camp

The status of Abbeyey Bog as an international conservation blueprint is set to be underlined this summer when a team of young people complete a Peat in Practice restoration camp in Laois.

From August 24 to 28, RE- PEAT’s Peat in Practice programme is coming to Laois in collaboration with Green Restoration Ireland’s Farm Carbon Transitions EIP, Abbeyleix Bog Project and Clara Heritage Society.

This camp is for young adults (aged 18-30) who can shape the future of peatland restoration. It’s open to farming families, rural communities, and those with generations of connection to the land, alongside those from urban backgrounds and anyone who has never had the chance to experience a bog before

RE-PEAT is a youth-led, non-profit collective active across Europe that bridges culture, policy, science, and grassroots advocacy for peatlands. The collective educates and activates through immersive experiences, hands-on programmes and community- and capacity-building. RE-PEAT says it strives for an interconnected world in which all peatland dwellers are supported culturally and ecologically.

RE-PEAT says the Peat in Practice programme, recently launched at the Young People Old Peat symposium, brings young adults together with intergenerational local communities and experts through hands-on peatland restoration camps throughout Europe.

RE-PEAT adds that the programme addresses a critical gap in peatland restoration: the need for long-term, hands-on, community-based care that is often overlooked and underfunded because it cannot be mechanised or outsourced.

It is also claimed that the programme empowers the next generation of peatland stewards by equipping young people from diverse backgrounds with practical restoration skills. At the same time, it supports local conservation efforts while celebrating the history, heritage, and cultural relationships that connect people to peatlands.

Before the camp in Ireland, Peat in Practice pilots a second camp in the Netherlands in August and is preparing for a UK edition in 2027, with plans for cross-border exchanges and building an international and inter-local network of young peatland practitioners over the years.

What to expect at the camp

The camp is a youth-led programme that brings participants to a range of peatland sites – healthy, degraded, and restored – where they will take part in hands-on restoration activities and experience different practical restoration settings first-hand.

The programme offers a diverse mix of expert talks, restoration work, and creative workshops, allowing participants to engage with Ireland’s peatlands from ecological, scientific, social, and cultural perspectives.

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Across the week, participants will explore paludiculture at Donie Reagan’s farm and its role in restoring peatland water levels, peatland ecology and biodiversity assessment; and practical approaches to peatland restoration, including invasive species management. The programme also covers the emerging bioeconomy, community-led initiatives, and methods for carbon monitoring and evaluating restoration impact.

The organisers say participants will visit both degraded and protected peatland sites, including Clara Bog a Natura 2000 area, gaining insight into conservation frameworks, regulations, and peatland rights. Creative engagement sessions with local artists will explore how peatlands can inspire creative restoration practices. MORE BELOW PHOTO.

Alongside this, a cultural strand runs throughout the camp, bringing together basket weaving, storytelling, and music. Mid-camp, on Wednesday 26 August, after a day of restoration work at Abbeyleix bog, we will host a public evening event in Abbeyleix, open to all, where stories on the myths, legends, folklore, and historic past of Irish peatlands will be told.

Holly Bartley is the Peat in Practice Programme Development Coordinator.

"Last year, during our visit to Ireland, everywhere we went, we were reminded of the value of local rootedness and the deep relationships people have with their bogs. We came away inspired and convinced of the potential of youth-led restoration camps.

"I really believe camps offer something special. They give young people the chance to immerse themselves in the landscape, learn by doing, and experience what it means to care for peatlands. I really hope this is just the first of many camps, and that more and more young people across Ireland will feel inspired to get involved and reconnect with their peatlands and local communities," she said.

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Doug McMillan is the Founder of Green Restoration Ireland.

"At Green Restoration Ireland, we see peatland restoration and carbon farming as two sides of the same coin — both are about giving farmers and communities practical, hands-on ways to work with the land rather than against it. The Farm Carbon Transitions EIP exists to build exactly this kind of bridge between science, farming practice, and community knowledge, so supporting RE-PEAT's Peat in Practice camp felt like a natural fit from day one. MORE BELOW PHOTO.

"It's also a brilliant way to bring young people into direct contact with Irish peatlands, local farmers, and the restoration work already happening on the ground. This is exactly the kind of grassroots engagement Farm Carbon Transitions EIP is built around. We can't wait to welcome the camp to the Midlands this August," he said.

With a fully organised programme, food, transport, and a space to pitch your own or a provided tent included, this is a free*, five-day camp for young adults (aged 18–30), open to all interested participants regardless of background.

Curious to learn more? Peat in Practice invites you to an info webinar in the last week of July, where the team will answer questions and will also dive into the topic of peatland restoration and paludiculture with Douglas McMillan. The webinar takes place on Monday, July 27, 6 –7 pm here.

A small registration fee will be required to secure your place once your participation has been confirmed.

Sign up as a potential participant via our expression of interest form: at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeWdHM34BbAOO7LA-8gtE_s3VDfrY6MjKf7bkkiLHD0VNRa3g/viewform?usp=header

This project is funded through the Peatlands and Natura Community Engagement Scheme (PNCES) operated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.