industrial cutaway peatlands in Ireland

With the cessation of industrial peat harvesting, there is an opportunity to create new landscapes that can confer both socio-economic and ecological benefits. This paper reviews over 50 years of study in the after-use potential of industrial cutaway peatlands in Ireland. The options for after-use are determined to a large extent by the residual peat type, hydrological constraints, geographic location and economic considerations. Over the years, the main areas of investigation have included commercially driven options such as agriculture, forestry, and biomass production, as well as the more eco-logical and environmental options such as dryland recolonisation and wetland creation / restoration. In that time, the emphasis has continually changed as new research has emerged, in turn directing and shaping decision-making. By 2050, around 80000 ha of harvested peatlands will have become available for other uses. As such, a coherent post-harvesting strategy, underpinned by previous and future research, is essential in order to maximise the potential of these new ecosystems