Illustration of a frog with the words 'Frog Academy' in a blue circle in the center, surrounded by a bird, dandelions, and mushrooms, with a black background.

Bog Academy is an educational programme for kids aged 7-12 which explores peatlands through the lenses of life, space and time

photo: Oonagh Casey photography

Bog Academy has been running yearly in Ireland since 2021. As it currently stands, the national curriculum in Ireland gives little attention to peatlands - despite them being one of the country's key ecosystems and their vital role within local communities and histories. Our programme addresses this gap by making learning about peatlands fun and memorable through sensory activities, engaging games, and field trips to peatlands organised in cooperation with local tour guides.

A simple black and white cartoon drawing of a frog sitting on a patch of grass, with a friendly expression and large eyes.

In the future, we would like to expand the project to other countries. For example, we are actively looking into opportunities for setting up Bog Academy in the Netherlands.

A black and white image of a vertical fern leaf silhouette with small white specks scattered across it.

Through this project and by linking children to their local peatlands, our ultimate aims are threefold: knowledge building, strengthening community ties, and fostering conversations and action to take place across the country.