Palaeoecological records as a guide for fire management in Killarney National Park, Ireland

Climate change is allowing fire to expand into previously unburnt ecosystems and regions. While management policies such as fire suppression have significantly altered their frequency and intensity. To prevent future biodiversity/ecosystem services loss, and the large financial burden of wildfires, management plans will be required to adapt to future climate and land use changes. Long-term ecological data offer a unique perspective to assess fire variability under different climate and land-use conditions. In this study, we focus on Killarney National Park, Ireland. An area which today is under threat from an increase in fire activity. Comparing palaeoecological and archaeological records, we reconstruct the past fire dynamic and its impact on the landscape, and evaluate the role of climate vs humans in influencing the natural fire regime over the millennial time-scale. Our results indicate that fire has been present in the landscape since the beginning of the Holocene, with fire in the early Holocene being largely controlled by climate and microsite conditions, and in the late Holocene being increasingly influenced by human activity. The knowledge of past fire regimes can help inform future management in order to protect the semi-natural native woodland. The park's present landscape mosaic, could be preserved by limiting forest encroachment through moderate grazing and burning, while also protecting any fragmented forest from excessive grazing and large/intense fires, via traditional fire management strategies such as fuel load management. However, a fire management strategy should only be implemented following careful consideration of all ecosystem factors and controls

Chapter 20 - Peat Fires in Ireland

Peatlands are one of Ireland's most characteristic natural features, making up about 17% of the Irish landscape. Their formation began at the end of the last glaciation (about 11,700years ago) and was initially confined to shallow lakes and wet hollows. However, over time there was a transition from open water to fen and then acid ombrotrophic raised bogs. Blanket bog also spread over extensive areas of poorly drained land in the uplands and western seaboard. This spread may have taken place in areas as early as 7000years ago but was more widespread by 4000years ago when the climate may have become wetter. Ireland's peatlands have been exploited for fuel over the last 400years, reducing the original extent of the peatland by almost 47%

Chapter 20 - Peat Fires in Ireland

Peatlands are one of Ireland's most characteristic natural features, making up about 17% of the Irish landscape. Their formation began at the end of the last glaciation (about 11,700years ago) and was initially confined to shallow lakes and wet hollows. However, over time there was a transition from open water to fen and then acid ombrotrophic raised bogs. Blanket bog also spread over extensive areas of poorly drained land in the uplands and western seaboard. This spread may have taken place in areas as early as 7000years ago but was more widespread by 4000years ago when the climate may have become wetter. Ireland's peatlands have been exploited for fuel over the last 400years, reducing the original extent of the peatland by almost 47%