Why did you want to come and volunteer with ulster wildlife in Ireland? 

At the beginning of the year, my parents were looking for a conservation volunteering opportunity in Great Britain or Ireland, as we had the rare chance to spend two and a half months abroad together. We thought it would be a great idea to combine our holiday with voluntary work—connecting with local people and contributing something meaningful to the places we visited. We wanted to be somewhere English was spoken, and we’d always wanted to visit Ireland because of its stunning landscapes. My parents also received some recommendations from colleagues, and in the end, we found this fantastic opportunity with Ulster Wildlife’s peatland restoration project at An Creagan, where we volunteered for three weeks. 

What activities did you get involved in during your time volunteering?

While volunteering with Ulster Wildlife, I worked on a lot of different tasks. We often completed “peat depths” where you would walk across the bog and collect data on an app to monitor the conditions and measure the depth of the peat. We also did two other types of monitoring and a butterfly survey, and one day, we helped another volunteering group remove conifers.  

Perhaps the most interesting part of my volunteering was the installation of dams to block the drains and help keep water in the bog. The day after that was International Bog Day at the An Créagan Center, where we demonstrated these processes of restoration to visitors. For that event, I also did a few paintings of typical bog species for an exhibition by Ulster Wildlife and was very happy to help by doing something I love. 

What did you enjoy most and least about your time volunteering? 

I really enjoyed the whole experience, but there were a few things that were just fantastic. Most importantly, the people. We were welcomed with such warmth, and everyone was so friendly. We spent time talking, getting to know each other, and sharing interests and experiences—it was one of those things you’ll always be grateful to have experienced. 

Another highlight was International Bog Day, when I got to fly a drone. A placement student was taking photos with it, and when she noticed my interest, she handed it over so I could try it myself. Later, I even had the chance to take photos on my own for one of the monitoring tasks. 

I also really enjoyed the peat depth measurements. Some might ask, "Isn't it boring to walk across a bog all day and just stop occasionally to measure the peat depth?" But honestly, it’s really enjoyable work. You get a great view, see a lot of different types of vegetation, and even though walking through deep heath or very muddy areas isn’t always easy, it can be quite relaxing. Plus, we got to snack on delicious blueberries along the way! Sometimes the work was a bit physically demanding, but looking back at the end of the day, I always felt a sense of satisfaction from what we accomplished. 

What did you learn about bogs while you were here and why do you think they are important? 

During my time at Ulster Wildlife, I learned so many things - not only about bog plants and animals like bog asphodel, sundew, bog cotton, sphagnum and large heath, but also about the importance of the bogs for wildlife, climate and more. A lot of different species rely on the wet conditions, and they are the only ones that can grow there because of the acidity in the soil. 

But the bogs are heavily degraded: many have been drained, afforested or overgrazed. A lot of peat has been cut for heating (which is still ongoing in places) and even industrially extracted on a large scale. In the hilly landscape, erosion causes further damage. And it isn’t just a problem for wildlife. When peat dries out and mineralizes, CO2 comes into the atmosphere. The current annual amount of greenhouse gas emissions from bogs in Ireland equals with the emission of (250,000?) cars! I knew that it was a pressing issue, but this number was still surprisingly high for me. 

Fortunately, it also works the other way around. Sphagnum mosses take up CO2 which is fixed when peat is formed – similar to trees in a forest. The difference: since wood decays over time (or is burned), the CO2 is released again, while it stays in the bogs forever – if they are intact and growing. That’s why conservation and restoration of bogs is so important.  

What would you say to someone thinking about volunteering with Ulster Wildlife? 

If someone asked me if it was a good idea to volunteer with Ulster Wildlife, I would definitely say, yes. Everyone I met on the Peatland project was so open-hearted and kind and it was really enriching to work with them. For someone who likes to be outside and doesn’t have a problem with a bit of mud, it really is a great opportunity to learn and meet new people. So, get in contact and do something good – for plants, animals, people and our planet.