Study

For peat's sake: conservation or exploitation?

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Lobby, campaign or demonstrate to protect peatlands

Action Link
Peatland Conservation
  1. Lobby, campaign or demonstrate to protect peatlands

    A study of peatlands in the UK (Barkham 1993) reported that following a campaign involving multiple individual events, one new area was protected for conservation, seven large businesses changed their purchasing and marketing behaviour to reduce peat extraction, and over 300 organizations signed voluntary agreements to protect peatlands. Within three years of campaigning, protection was granted to 365 ha of peatland (with protection of another 1,134 ha in discussion). Four major retailers stopped buying compost with peat mined from protected areas. Three horticultural companies began marketing non-peat compost alternatives (e.g. coconut fibre compost). Voluntary peatland conservation agreements were signed by 250 garden centres and 51 local governments. The study qualitatively reports some other changes in behaviour, attitudes and awareness. The campaign was run by the Peatlands Campaign Consortium, whose activities included meetings with businesses, debates with governmental organizations, and public awareness-raising (see Background section).

    (Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)

Output references
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