Bohemia Bog

Bohemia Bog (a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation) is one of the most important botanical sites of the Island, reminiscent of a New Forest wetland and home to species found nowhere else here on the Island. It is a transition mire perched on a hillside near Godshill. Gift to Nature worked here with the landowner, Environment Agency and Wildlife Trust to protect the site. The bog itself is tiny, originally 0.1 ha set in a paddock of 5 ha and was gradually disappearing under bramble and gorse scrub to the extent that grazing animals could no longer keep it in check and priority plant species were declining at an alarming rate.

Better management of bogs is believed to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Bogs store carbon and prevent it entering the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. But they need to be managed well to increase the carbon storage potential and minimise emissions of methane.

Pale Butterwort is the key plant at Bohemia but in addition we worked to conserve the bryophyte community. Round-leaved sundew and cotton grass are two other important bog species severely restricted on the island but were doing well here.