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Families are being offered a unique opportunity to play their part in restoring a Co Tyrone peatland while picking their Christmas tree in the process.

Ulster Wildlife, in partnership with the An Creagán Centre, is behind the seasonal event at Haughey’s Bog, outside Omagh.

The bog, which was heavily degraded due to past commercial peat extraction, is now being restored to its natural, healthy state. Years of drainage have dried out the bog and allowed invasive Sitka spruce trees from nearby plantations to take over, threatening its recovery.

Removing these trees, Ulster Wildlife explains, is a crucial step in bringing the bog back to life and, combined with a range of measures to rewet it, will allow peatland plants and wildlife to thrive once more.

Families are invited to pick their own Sitka Spruce Christmas tree at Haughey's Bog as part of a festive-themed peatland restoration day organised by Ulster Wildlife and An Creagán. Photo: Submitted

On Saturday, December 7, families are invited to join in a festive-themed restoration day. Participants will learn about the initiative while getting to pick and cut a real Christmas tree to take home.

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“This is a unique opportunity to make a difference while creating special festive memories,” said Bryan Ward, senior peatlands officer with Ulster Wildlife.

"While we wouldn’t typically encourage single-use Christmas trees, in this case, removing the invasive Sitka spruce is vital for the recovery of this precious peatland habitat.”

Haughey's Bog (in the foreground), a former commercially harvested bog is set to be transformed into a thriving hub for peatland restoration. Photo: submitted

The event will run from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm, with pre-booked time slots. Booking is essential at ulsterwildlife.org/events . There is no charge for this event, but a suggested donation of £10 will help support the nature conservation charity’s vital work to bring nature back. Donations can be made on the day or online at ulsterwildlife.org/donate .

So far, volunteer teams, corporate groups, and students have all played a part in removing invasive trees to help the bog recover.

Volunteers play a crucial role in Ulster Wildlife’s peatland restoration efforts – from removing invasive species and monitoring peatland biodiversity to surveying peat depths. If you are interested in getting involved call 028 9045 4094.

Public invited to pick and cut their Christmas tree while helping to restore Co Tyrone bog during special festive-themed day