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blowin · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 1:56 am Post subject: Ban on cutting turf

We are fortunate to have turbary rights and I had some cut by the "sausage machine " method a couple of years ago . I knew that bans were coming into effect but did not think that they affected Co Sligo . However , when I recently spoke with the owner of the bog he told me that he had been informed by an Environmental Ranger that he is not permitted to cut this year .
So , I left a message for the Ranger asking him to confirm the position . His response on my ansaphone was " The area is SAC -- Special Area of Conservation -- and there is a total ban on cutting there " . End of story . Except that when MOH phoned back and actually got to talk to him he agreed that we should visit the bog to locate and double check the status of my plot , and that it might be acceptable to cut by hand or by using the hopper method . Failing that they might be able to grant a permit for us to cut elsewhere . I should add that this is only because our turbary is defined in the deeds of this old house but perhaps the more general lesson is to double check the meaning of all messages . Especially in Ireland Laughing

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I will let you know the outcome . [/i]

blowin · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 2:02 am Post subject:

Why might it be acceptable to cut by the hopper method , which leaves a big hole in the bog , when it isn't acceptable to use the sausage machine which leaves little or no visible trace ?
The plot in question is on flat ground , not on a hillside or at the top of a mountain BTW .

quarryman · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 417 Location: Sligo

CO2 emissions.

http://friendsoftheirishenvironme...oday&action=view&id=12958

blowin · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 1:08 pm Post subject:

That article answers the question alright !
It has almost persuaded me to do the right thing and freeze to death this winter Exclamation

blowin · Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:00 pm Post subject:

Met with the Ranger this evening . Won't mention his name but a very nice and understanding man .
Apparently the sausage machine method is totally banned in SAC areas . If there is an existing bank on ( the edge of ) your plot you may still be permitted to cut from this either by hand or by hopper method so long as you dig along the edge of the bank rather than making a big hole . A permit is required but the application process is very straightforward . The random X factor is that you have to specify the plot number . This is shown on the deeds to the house but I have yet to find anyone who knows ( or will admit to knowing ) of a map which can be used to locate the plots in the first place .

Camile · Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:17 pm Post subject:

Is that the sausage making machine then ?

because a set of 10 lines is called a hopper around here ..

we didn't cut any this year because we still have plenty on the bog for this winter .. and are still waiting for the ranger to come back to us regarding selling the "turbandry rights" back to the wildlife crowd ..

wonderful eco system the bogs ..

Camile

Camile · Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:21 pm Post subject:

the pictures is our bog I forgot to add ..

you can see in the background the "high bog" from where it's cut ..

they do only cut the edge on roughly half the width of the "high bank ..

Camile

blowin · Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2009 10:41 pm Post subject:

The hopper method is when they use a digger to lift out scoops of the turf and put it into the "hopper" which looks a bit like a mini-skip on wheels . That is then towed along while it squirts its contents behind .
I seem to recall that the hoppers normally used up here leave a trail of either 5 or 8 rows but you may well have bigger ones down there.
The length of the row is the same for the 5 & 8 widths . If you are paying for it to be cut by the hopper method then the charge is per hopper , so the wider one will be more expensive ( because it produces a greater volume ) but should be better value .
Unfortunately that still doesn’t tell me how many hoppers constitute a load , or what a standard load actually is .

phil · Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2009 11:10 am Post subject:

It depends on a lot of things,quality of turf,how much is put in the hopper,how much water is mixed with the turf in the hopper,the weather,how long you leave it to dry out,if there's still a lot moisture in the turf it will be bigger so it takes less to fill a trailer,if you leave it too long in good drying weather it will go very small so more to the trailer.
I have had 800 euro worth cut which will be about 10 to 12 ten by eight trailer loads without the cribs, and that should last 12 month in a Stanley 8.

phil · Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2009 12:14 pm Post subject:

Sorry that was misleading,i had the turf cut on someone else's bog,so it was 400euro to cut and 400euro to the owner of the bog.