saysJimMurphy.AndI’dhavetoagree.Murphyisaturfuserin Kilkishen,Ireland.Heburnsturfasfueltoheathis home.

What’sturf,youask?Turfisamaterialmadeupofdecayingplants.Youmightknowitbyadifferentname:peat.HereinIreland,peatcomesfromraisedorblanketbogs,whichcover20percentofthecountry.I’mEmilyToner,asoilgeographer.Istudy bogs.

Abogisawetlandbornofwater,plants,andtime.Itgrowsslowly.Ahealthybogtakesathousandyearstogrowonemetertaller.Peatsoilisacidicandrich.IfIreland’speatsoilwasleftaloneforanother250millionyears,thelayersatthebottomwouldbecome coal.

Walkingacrossabogmightbetheclosestyou’llevergetto“walkingonwater.”That’sbecausebogsaremorethan90percentwater.Sphagnummoss—aplantsoessentialtobogsit’scalleda“bogbuilder”—canholdupto20timesitsweightinwater.Ifyousteponabedofsphagnum,youarewalkingonanecosystemthathasmorewaterandlesssolidsthanaglassof milk.

Bogsholdmorethanjustplantsandwater.Theyalsoabsorbcarbondioxidefromtheatmosphere.ThisisimportantbecauseitreducesthegreenhouseeffectonEarth.Letmeexplain.CertaingasesinEarth’satmosphere,likecarbondioxide,trapheat.Toomuchoftheseso‑called“greenhousegases”causeEarth’stemperaturesto rise.

Whilewetandhealthy,bogstrapcarbonandkeepitinplace.ThathelpskeepEarth’stemperaturessteady.That’swhywetlandsarecalledcarbonsinks.Aroundtheworld,wetlandslikebogsstoretwicethecarbonthat’sheldintreesandforests.That’s incredible!

BogsareatraditionalpartoftheIrishwayoflife.Throughouthistory,peoplehavereliedonthemforsurvival.Wildberriesandotherplantscanbeharvestedforfood.Sphagnummosswasonceharvestedtomakebandagesforwounds.Butbyfar,themostwidelyusedbogresourcehasbeenpeat,whichiscutintobrickstoburnas fuel.

Sadly,Ireland’sbogsarenotaswidespreadastheyoncewere.Morethan85percentofthemhaveshrunk.Peopledrainedthesoggysoil,andthelandisusedforotherpurposes,suchas farming.