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Action 11. Moss Peat & Horticulture

The extraction of moss peat from bogs for use in horticulture and gardening is a major threat to the future conservation of raised bogs. Several privately funded moss peat extraction schemes are underway on raised bogs that are designated as Natural Heritage Areas or Special Areas of Conservation. In the past other NHAs, ASSIs and SACs have been damaged to varying degrees in preparation for development which was subsequently halted.

The extraction schemes are financially lucrative due to the consumer demand in Ireland and the UK for moss peat in gardening. New schemes are being sought on NHA/SAC sites by developers. Private land owners are invited to enter lease arrangements, which pay substantial amounts to the landowner. These developments are independent of grant aid are largely not subject to any planning control.

Because of the high commercial value of the peat and competition from developers Dúchas the Heritage Service are reluctant to compete for the purchase of the same land for conservation. A growing number of private moss peat development companies exist in Ireland. The overall result is that the loss of sites greatly exceeds the area of raised bog being conserved.

Ireland has given a commitment under Agenda 21 to the sustainable use of natural resources. The commercial extraction of peat at current rates is not a sustainable activity. It is difficult to argue that peat extraction for horticulture is essential, when peat free gardening products exist, made from renewable resources including materials that would otherwise go to waste, and create landfill problems which need to be tackled if Ireland is to meet the requirements of the EU Landfill Directive. Similar conclusions have been reached by the EU's ECO labelling scheme which has refused an ECO label to soil improvers containing peat.

General Objective
To reduce the dependency on peat in horticulture and gardening.

IPCC have been campaigning together with NGO's in the UK Peatlands Campaign Consortium (RSPB 2001) to promote the recycling of organic waste and the use of peat free products through an outreach education programme entitled Growing Wiser Wildlife Gardening. Our campaign, targeted at gardeners and community groups, has motivated them to set up individual and community composting schemes. To this end we have published a Guide to Community Composting (Foss & Rice 1997) and have provided Internet resources on this topic.

We have publicised and researched case studies where the extraction of horticultural moss peat has resulted in damage to conservation worthy peatlands. This information has been reported to relevant EU and National Authorities in a bid to strengthen legislation controlling the industry. We have petitioned the peat producers to take a responsible attitude towards the protection of peat resources, which in some cases has resulted in the transfer of controlling interests to conservation.

Actions
3.11.1 Peat extraction for commercial purposes, whether fuel or horticulture should require planning permission. In the event that planning control continues to prove an ineffective control on widespread peat extraction by machine, some alternative mechanism will have to be found, perhaps via a register of turbary rights.

3.11.2 Government should be encouraged to introduce a levy on moss peat products to generate an income to fund peatland conservation and help promote the development, marketing and awareness of peat-free gardening products.

3.11.3 All Government and Local Authorities should make a commitment to cease using peat in public and amenity areas and exclude the use of peat in all contracts. They should also encourage other public bodies to follow this example.

3.11.4 Government and Local Authorities must lead waste management initiatives, targeted at households and green waste producers, that promote recycling and composting.

3.11.5 Students at horticultural colleges and other institutions should receive tuition on peat alternatives ensuring that new entrants to the horticulture industry are made aware of this important issue.

3.11.6 The peat industry should research methods to restore harvested bogs to their natural function as ecosystems accumulating peat. This will involve re-establishing a vegetation cover composed of peatland plants and restoring a wetland hydrological regime.

3.11.7 The Government must provide funding to compensate developers who cease extracting moss peat from Natural Heritage Areas and Special Areas of Conservation.

3.11.8 An information campaign should be mounted to encourage the phasing out of peat moss and the switch to peat free soil improvers for use in horticulture and gardening.

3.11.9 The Government should provide grant assistance and support to enterprises that research and develop peat free soil improvers and growing media.

3.11.10 Moss peat producers should be encouraged to market peat free soil improvers.

3.11.11 The Department of the Environment and Local Authorities should promote the use of peat free soil improvers to meet their obligations under Agenda 21.

Find out more: Gardening without peat

Find out more: Suppliers of Peat Free Composts Around the World

Find out more: Background Information on IPCC Involvement with the UK Peat Free Campaign

Or why not check out these IPCC information pages to learn more about the campaign