In September 2025, the LIFE IP Peatlands and People project hosted four Outreach Days on Bord na Móna bogs, giving volunteers from Deloitte the chance to get hands-on with peatland restoration.

Peatlands and People project coordinator Arthur Devine with hardworking Deloitte volunteers!

Delivered in partnership with Leave No Trace Ireland, the events brought together Deloitte Ireland employees at BnM peatland restoration sites near Lough Boora Discovery Park, Co. Offaly, to help plant Sphagnum moss plugs for accelerated peatland restoration.

Many BnM bogs were historically used for industrial peat extraction, leaving large areas of bare peat behind. These drained peatlands now release carbon instead of storing it. By raising the water table and rewetting these landscapes, they can once again function as carbon sinks and support the return of unique peatland biodiversity.

Sphagnum moss is vital for peatland recovery – it retains water, rebuilds organic matter, and kickstarts the process of peat formation. Once restored, these ecosystems can store more carbon per square metre than tropical rainforests, making them essential for climate action and biodiversity.

BnM Ecologist David McNicholas showcasing a plug of Sphagnum. Each Sphagnum plug is planted by hand in the peatland.

The volunteer days formed part of Leave No Trace’s ESG Impact Day programme, which combines environmental action, education, and team-building. Participants took part in workshops on the Leave No Trace Principles, biodiversity walks, and Sphagnum planting, guided by ecologists and peatland experts.

Deloitte volunteers planting Sphagnum in rows, guided by a quadrat.

The Sphagnum planted by Deloitte this year will feed into a new EU-funded project, PalusDemos which is working with farmers and researchers to demonstrate paludiculture (or wet farming) methods on different wetland sites in Europe.

A newly planted plug of Sphagnum moss. Each plug contains a mix of Sphagnum species.

The initiative aligns with Deloitte’s net-zero by 2040 strategy and demonstrates how corporate engagement can make a difference for nature and climate. The events also attracted media attention, with Euronews visiting the site to capture the story of restoration in action.

These outreach days highlight the impact of collaboration between LIFE IP Peatlands and People, Bord na Móna, Leave No Trace Ireland, and Deloitte, showing how cross-sectoral collaboration can accelerate Ireland’s journey towards healthier, functioning peatlands.

Get Involved

Companies interested in future peatland-focused ESG Impact Days or Hot Spot projects can contact Leave No Trace Ireland for more information at 📧 info@leavenotraceireland.org.