Research is ongoing to examine the time it takes for commonage to recover after a fire and to help develop advice that could reduce the risk of fires occurring on commonage lands.

Some 7ha of commonage burned in the Tawnyoran/Bundorragha area in Co Mayo – which lies inside the west Connacht Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) co-operation zone – in May 2024.

So far, the project team has determined that the burnt area of commonage scores lower on the ACRES peatland scorecard in comparison with lands around the fire site.

The coverage of purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea) increased after the fire and other plant species are less common in this patch of the commonage.

Grazing or strimming

The project team suggested that introducing cattle grazing or strimming the purple moor grass could improve plant diversity and lift the score in this area of the commonage, with these actions dependent on the farmers’ agreement.

The team said that more biodiversity on the parcel could allow a wider variety of plants to grow, which could in turn reduce the fuel load that would risk further fires.

Sampling has taken place for ground beetles – a common indicator of biodiversity – last summer, with further sampling planned for the site to better assess the impact of the fire event on the commonage.

Monitoring of the beetle and plant indicators will continue over the next three years.