Ardee Bog in County Louth is under threat from the proposed N52 Ardeee Bypass.

Ardee Bog in County Louth is under threat from the proposed N52 Ardeee Bypass.

The route of the proposed N52 Ardee Bypass is visible in these photos. The fencing (illegally installed after an Oireachtas meeting ordered all work stopped), is seen here submerged in Ardee Bog’s flood water. Photos: Seán Walsh, February 25, 2020.

The route of the proposed N52 Ardee Bypass is visible in these photos. The fencing (illegally installed after an Oireachtas meeting ordered all work stopped), is seen here submerged in Ardee Bog’s flood water.

Photos: Seán Walsh, February 25, 2020.

Ireland declared a Climate Emergency in 2019. So why are we building a road through a bog? A road can be relocated, but a bog can’t. The bog has been here for 10,000 years and is defenceless.

Trees and hedgerows were illegally removed in November 2019 when fencing was installed to indicate the route of the proposed N52 Ardee Bypass. The route goes straight through the pNHA (potential National Heritage Area) of Ardee Bog and its surrounding habitat. The area frequently floods like this and is a designated Flood Zone. Curlews feed and possibly nest in the area. The IPCC (Irish Peatland Conservation Council) has repeatedly stated that this area needs to be protected. It is the last remaining raised bog in the East of Ireland.

Please visit the Ardee Bog WEBSITE: www.ardeebog.org