Why Support The Auld Sod
Climate Action
Protect Habitats
Support Restoration
Natural Carbon Vaults
Healthy boglands are one of the planet’s most powerful tools for carbon storage. Unlike forests, which release carbon as they decompose, intact peat bogs lock carbon away for thousands of years. In fact, bogs store more carbon per hectare than any other ecosystem on Earth.
A Landscape Under Threat
Centuries of turf cutting, drainage, and development have left many of Ireland’s bogs damaged and unable to function as they once did. When peatlands are disturbed, they shift from carbon sink to carbon source, releasing stored carbon back into the atmosphere. Restoring them is urgent — and essential.
Climate Action through Restoration
Rewetting and protecting bogs helps them return to their natural state — storing carbon, supporting biodiversity, and stabilising water systems. Supporting bog restoration is a direct, measurable way to contribute to climate solutions. With The Auld Sod, your ownership becomes part of that impact.
Flora
Boglands support rare plant life like sphagnum moss, heather, bog cotton, and sundew — species uniquely adapted to wet, acidic conditions. Protecting these slow-growing plants helps preserve the delicate balance of the bog ecosystem.
Fauna
Boglands are a vital habitat for native species like the Irish hare, which relies on open, undisturbed ground. These areas also support ground-nesting birds, amphibians, and small mammals — all of which depend on the unique conditions only healthy peatlands provide.
Insect Life
Bogs host a rich array of insects, from dragonflies and beetles to the rare large heath butterfly, all specially adapted to wetland conditions. These species play a crucial role in pollination, decomposition, and as food sources for birds and other wildlife — making them essential to the overall health of the bog.
The Whitefronted Greenland Goose
Known for their strong family bonds and sociable nature, these geese travel in loyal flocks and return to the same wintering grounds each season. The epic journey they endure from Greenland to Ireland's Auld Sod is a story of true resilience.
An Epic Journey
The Journey
Each winter, these remarkable geese travel 3,000 kilometres from Western Greenland to spend the colder months in the safety of Ireland’s boglands — including The Auld Sod. Their return is a symbol of the wildness we’re protecting.
A Safe Haven
Shortly after the breeding season in October they embark on their journey and arrive in small, loyal flocks — year after year — to roost and feed on bogland grasses. With their population in decline, preserving their winter refuge is more important than ever.
