The Glenullin Bog lies in a floodplain within a watershed that drains to the River Bann. As our understanding of bogs and other floodplain elements grows, we increasingly recognise the importance of conserving and restoring the natural resources and functions of these floodplain resources.

In the past, bogs and other wetlands were not highly thought of and were often referred to as wastelands. We now know this isn’t so, that bogs are really wonderlands. However, many wetland terms continue to have negative connotations. For example, someone may say he or she is “swamped”, in a “mire”, or “bogged down.”

Recognised benefits of a naturally functioning bog include the storage and slow release of flood waters, recharge of ground water and aquifers, maintenance of surface water quality, and provision of habitat for fish and wildlife.

Bogs, as a floodplain resource, differ from other natural resources in the following way: the term “natural resource” often brings to mind products such as timber or fossil fuels that may be extracted from their natural environments and sold as commodities for profit. But, as with other floodplain resources, the natural value of the Glenullin Bog resource lie not in its removal and sale, but in the functions the bog performs in its natural environment. Bog benefits include:

• Ground water and surface water quality and quantity

• Recharge of ground water

• Water retention and peak flood reduction

• Excess nutrient removal, plant and animal habitat

• Scenic value

• Inspiration for the arts

• Educational opportunities

• A source of community identity and pride

• Other valuable functions

As with many wetlands, the Glenullin Bog may be considered the community’s natural “infrastructure”. Community leaders are uniquely positioned to tap these bog resources for the benefits they may serve the community.

Many species of animals depend on the bog at some point during their life-cycle as it is classified an “edge” habitat – a transition zone between the water’s edge and upland habitat. The Glenullin Bog drains into the Agivey River which joins the Aghadowey River further downstream about one km before reaching the River Bann.

It is said that the rivers of Northern Ireland are unspoiled. The good water quality of the rivers is beneficial to fish. Wetland vegetation function as spawning beds. Salmon spawn in wetlands, including bogs like the one located in Glenullin. Bog vegetation moderates water flows which prevents eggs and fry from being carried downstream by river currents where they are often lost to predation, the sea, and poor hatching conditions.

A representative from the local Anglers Club estimated that the salmon population has dropped approximately 30 percent over the last 40 to 50 years, and would like to see it return to the numbers of fish he had seen as a child. Drift nets at sea, pollution from fertiliser, and decrease in available spawning beds due to habitat loss have had a negative impact on the salmon population.

An intrinsic value of wetlands is their ability to function as the kidneys of the watershed as they filter and absorb impurities and excess nutrients. Impairment of wetlands like the Glenullin Bog reduces their natural ability to absorb pollutants such as that which comes from silage discarded by farmers in springtime. Silage from blood and milk causes problems for fish because it depletes the dissolved oxygen fish need to survive. This may result in a fish kill.

Reducing pollution from silage and other sources would help maintain and augment fish populations. However, the loss sustained by continuing draining of the Glenullin Bog would further diminish its ability to absorb nutrients. The Glenullin Bog functions as a source for drinking water downstream and may also serve as a source for ground water in the area that supplies water to local private well users. Uptake for reservoirs and drinking water are found further north in the River Bann. The Glenullin Bog’s natural ability to absorb excess nutrients and impurities, thereby maintaining water quality, needs to be considered in any decision that might impact on it.

The Glenullin Bog is the heart and soul of the community. While the bog provides multiple benefits, ideas about how to manage the bog and its future varies among community residents. Not everyone in the community is in agreement with the importance of protecting the bog. Therefore, planning for its protection and restoration is recommended to avoid losing the assets it provides.