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Gardeners Urged to Avoid Peat this Bank Holiday Weekend

For release 3 May 2002

The Irish Peatland Conservation Council is calling on gardeners to keep
their gardens green and to avoid peat and peat based garden products this
Bank Holiday weekend ­ one of the busiest weekends for planting in the
gardening year. It is also calling on gardeners to increase the pressure on
retailers to stock more peat free products.

Since the launch of the peat-free garden campaign in February, a large
number of renowned Irish gardens open to the public have declared themselves
a peat-free zone ­ Mount Usher Gardens in Wicklow, Drimnagh Castle Gardens
in Dublin, Cashelane Gardens in Cork and Mount Stewart Gardens in Co. Down.
This proves that peat moss is not essential for a beautiful garden. In
addition to gardens open to the public, this campaign has also been endorsed
by Kilkenny County Council and Dublin City Council, who have given a
commitment to go peat free.

The IPCC's peat-free campaign co-ordinator, Noreen McLoughlin says "When a
gardener buys a bag of moss peat, they are contributing to the further
destruction of Ireland's internationally important raised bogs. The use of
moss peat threatens the survival of our remaining intact raised bogs and the
wildlife that depends on these wet wonderlands. There are plenty of peat
free composts available to buy and when used correctly they work even better
than peat"

Atlantic Homecare, who are supporting IPCC's Peat-Free Garden Campaign are
encouraging gardeners to use environmentally friendly gardening products
this Bank Holiday weekend. They are running a promotion on a peat-free
compost in their 12 stores around the county. When a gardener buys two bags
of peat-free compost for Euro 5.95 they will get another free!

"So, for every bag of peat free compost purchased, a bag of peat can stay
where it belongs ­ in the bog!" says Noreen McLoughlin.

A factsheet on the campaign is available from the IPCC, 119 Capel St.,
Dublin 1, (01) 8722384, or visit the website at www.ipcc.ie.

Editors Note: Atlantic Homecare stores have 12 locations across the
country: In Dublin - Stillorgan Park Industrial Estate, Blanchardstown
Retail Park, Coolock, Old Naas Road, Liffey Valley and Swords.

Elsewhere - Headford Road in Galway, Mallow Road and Pooladuff Road in Cork, Newbridge, Co. Kildare; Letterkenny, Co. Donegal and Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.

ENDS

____________________________________
Irish Peatland Conservation Council
119 Capel Street
Dublin 1
Ireland

Tel & Fax +353-1-8722397
Tel +353-1-8722384
e-mail: bogs@ipcc.ie
web: www.ipcc.ie

Action for Bogs & Wildlife

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