Podcasts about peatlands

Peatlands are a special kind of wetland that have enormous potential for helping to mitigate climate change.  They are great at capturing carbon because their constantly soggy soils deprive decomposer organisms of the oxygen they need to break down dead plants.  Living plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and incorporate the carbon into their […]

Michael Healy-Rae, who’s Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture with responsibility for forestry, says trees should be planted on peatlands. Sinn Féin’s spokesperson for climate, the environment and energy Pa Daly says such proposals are ill-conceived and irresponsible. At the start of the interview, Minister of State Healy-Rae paid tribute to Joe Quinn, who died in a farm accident in Tahilla this week. Deputy Daly also offered his condolences to Mr Quinn’s family.

Today on the show we're talking about paludiculture. You might not have heard the term before, but paludiculture is the practice of wetland farming—essentially growing crops on rewetted lands, usually peatlands. Paludiculture is emerging as a way to restore peatlands, reduce carbon emissions, and explore the creation of new income opportunities for farmers and landowners.Peatlands play a critical role in ecosystems. They store vast amounts of carbon, support biodiversity, and regulate water levels. However, draining peatlands releases huge amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. The big question is: can we farm in a way that both protects and restores these landscapes?Jenny Bennion and Sarah Johnson from Lancashire Wildlife Trust believe that paludiculture could provide at least some of the answers. For more info on paludiculture visit - www.paludiculture.org.ukMeet the Farmers is produced by RuralPod Media, the only specialist rural podcast production agency. Please note that this podcast does not constitute advice. Our podcast disclaimer can be found here. About Ben and  RuralPod MediaBen Eagle is the founder and Head of Podcasts at RuralPod Media, a specialist rural podcast production agency. He is also a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist. You can find out more at ruralpodmedia.co.uk or benjamineagle.co.uk If you have a business interested in getting involved with podcasting check us out at RuralPod Media. We'd love to help you spread your message. Please subscribe to the show and leave us a review wherever you are listening. Follow us on social mediaInstagram @mtf_podcastTwitter @mtf_podcastWatch us on Youtube here

John Connolly, Assistant Professor in Physical Geography, Trinity College Dublin, joined Mark Gibson on the latest podcast version of the Signpost Series to discuss Ireland's hidden peatlands A questions and answers session took place at the end of the webinar which was facilitated by Teagasc's Catherine Keena. To register for future webinars visit:https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/sustainable-agriculture-webinars/                        For more podcasts from the Signpost Series go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/signpostpodcast/ 

In the fifth episode of Season 10 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe interviews Simon Owen,founder of Standby Productions and the first-ever ambassador for the Wildlife Trust of Lancashire, Greater Manchester, and North Merseyside.Simon shares his passion for supporting the environment and his journey from birdwatching with his dad to making award-winning wildlife films. He discusses the importance of peatlands, the challenges of conservation funding, and his unique partnership with the Wildlife Trust. Simon also highlights community projects and the positive impact of connecting people with nature. Tune in for an inspiring discussion on turning passion into purpose and making a meaningful social impact.#Conservation #Environment #Peatlands#community #GM #manchester #SocialImpact #NonProfit #podcast Did you know:  ·     Peatlands are vital ecosystems that store carbon, provide clean water, and support biodiversity. ·      They also help prevent flooding. ·   They support rare plants, insects and wading birds, Key resources:Standby ProductionsLancashire Wildlife Trust Time stamps of key moments in the podcast episode &transcript:(00:55) Simon Owen on Environmental Support(03:58) Partnership with Wildlife Trust(07:37) Challenges and Community Impact(18:42) Finding Your Passion and Making an Impact(20:42) Unique Partnerships and Creative Funding(22:02) Harnessing Business for Environmental Good(22:53) Signature Questions: Manchester's Unique Social Impact(28:53) Heartwarming Stories and Final Thoughts Listen to the episode and read the transcript on www.meetthemancunian.co.uk

*The National Trust Podcast is changing.* From March 2025 the National Trust Podcast will look different so we can bring you more immersive stories in Nature, History and Adventure. Stay on this stream for our new nature podcast, Wild Tales… and look out for our new history podcast, Back When. Remember to follow your favourite shows from National Trust Podcasts to be the first to hear new episodes as they arrive.  We'd love to hear from you: please get in touch with feedback, thoughts or your ideas for stories at podcasts@nationaltrust.org.uk Click here to read these episode notes in Welsh One of the simple pleasures in life is getting outdoors for a walk, taking in the world around you with some fresh air and then nipping into a cosy pub for a well earned treat. Claire Hickinbotham takes you on some of our favourite walks from our book ‘100 Great Pub Walks' and finds out why caring for our planet, is necessary for the good of the humble pint.  From floodplains to fens, from peatlands to pubs, discover the work that goes on to look after our planet. [Ad] This podcast is sponsored by Starling Bank. Peatlands are essential for people and the planet in lots of incredible ways - they act like natural sponges, storing more carbon than all of the world's rainforests put together.  And they're a habitat for a whole host of wildlife. And they act as flood defences in the face of climate change.   Starling Bank have been funding the National Trust's work towards saving our peatlands since 2023, supporting projects that'll restore and protect over 400 hectares of the UK's precious peatland  – that's 372 football pitches.  Find out more about Starling and the National Trust's conservation work: https://www.starlingbank.com/about/partnerships/starling-and-the-national-trust/ Production Host: Claire Hickinbotham Producer: Jack Glover Higgins Sound editor: Jesus Gomez   Discover more 2025 marks our 130th birthday. In each chapter of our history, we've adapted to the needs of the day. Now, it's time for a vision that takes us into the future. Our new strategy sets out our aims and ambitions for the next decade and beyond. Find out how we are restoring nature, ending unequal access to nature and taking action here. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/our-strategy  Learn about our peatland habitats and the work we're doing to protect them here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/our-cause/nature-climate/climate-change-sustainability/preserving-our-peatland  Pick up a copy of 100 Great Pub Walks by visiting https://shop.nationaltrust.org.uk/national-trust-100-great-pub-walks.html or by popping into your local bookshop.  For more on wetlands, including Peat bogs, floodplains and fens, check out our friends at the Wetland Wildlife Trust https://www.wwt.org.uk/discover-wetlands/wetlands  Find out how the climate is affecting the taste and cost of our beer. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67078674 Find your local People, Planet, Pint here; https://small99.co.uk/people-planet-pint-meetup/  Follow the National Trust Podcast on your favourite podcast app. If you'd like to get in touch with feedback, or have a story connected with the National Trust, you can contact us at podcasts@nationaltrust.org.uk 

The majority of the UK's peatlands could be at risk of drying out in the next 40-50 years because of climate change - according to a new study from scientists at the Universities of Exeter, Manchester and Derby. Healthy, wet peatlands are seen as part of the solution to climate change because they soak up planet-heating carbon dioxide - UK peatlands currently store an estimated 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon. But where they dry out, they become a problem, because they can then release that stored carbon back into the atmosphere.There are a lot of things we want from the land of course - food production, green energy, housing, space for nature - and often these things are seen as being in competition with one another. We visit a farm where many different types of land use have been integrated so they can work hand in hand.And tree planting is something else that faces criticism for taking land out of food production. But in agroforestry systems, trees are planted alongside livestock or crops. We find out about a new tree species guide for UK Agroforestry Systems which has been produced by Forest Research and the University of Reading, to help farmers decide what to plant and where.Presented by Steffan Messenger Produced by Heather Simons

In this episode of Do Something Bigger from the Carbon Copy Podcast we explore the waterlogged world of peatlands. We learn about the huge value that peat can bring, in terms of storing carbon, reducing flood risk, purifying water and providing habitat for rare species like adder, curlew and insectivorous plants. Listen, to hear how both Ulster Wildlife and Lancashire Peat Partnership are working to restore peatlands, and discover how you can take action to protect these incredible landscapes. Learn about the impact of degraded peatland. Hear about animals and plants that call peatlands their home. Find out why peatlands have become so degraded and damaged. Learn about the importance of buying peat-free compost. Get inspired to take big local action for peat! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Show Notes Find out more about restoring peatlands: https://carboncopy.eco/takeaction/restore-peatlands Discover all 25 Big Local Actions for climate and nature: https://carboncopy.eco/takeaction Listen back to previous episodes of the Carbon Copy Podcast: https://carboncopy.eco/podcast Find out more about Lancashire Peat Partnership: https://www.lancswt.org.uk/our-work/projects/peatland-restoration/lancashire-peat-partnership Read about one of Lancashire Peat Partnership's flagship projects, in the Forest of Bowland AONB: https://carboncopy.eco/initiatives/bowland-priority-peat Read about Ulster Wildlife's current project at Haughey's Bog: https://carboncopy.eco/initiatives/haugheys-bog-restoration Learn more about Ulster Wildlife's work on peat: https://www.ulsterwildlife.org/saving-our-peatlands Discover gardening and growing projects via Carbon Copy: https://carboncopy.eco/initiatives?search_term=&filter-local_area=&filter-action_area%5B%5D=56&filter-positive_impact%5B%5D=17 Find a peat-free plant nursery near you: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/peat/peat-free-nurseries Find your local wildlife trust to explore peatland volunteering opportunities: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/peat/peat-free-nurseries Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textIn this  episode of Wildly Curious, Katy Reiss teams up with a special guest (her son, Lukas!) to kick off a mini-series exploring the bizarre and fascinating things found in bogs. Discover the strange world of bog butter—a 3,500-year-old lump of butter preserved so well that it's technically still edible. Learn why bogs are nature's refrigerators, the ecological importance of these wetland wonders, and the cultural significance of butter in ancient times. Packed with fascinating insights and hilarious commentary brought by Lukas, this episode is perfect for curious minds and those who love a good laugh with their science.Perfect for history buffs, nature enthusiasts, and anyone intrigued by the oddities of our world.Want to see behind the scenes and unedited footage?!

A new voluntary certification that will help restore Ireland's peatland and boost climate resilience by allowing farmers and landowners to demonstrate the environmental benefit of their activities has been launched for public consultation. According to estimates, the restoration of the 700,000 hectares of degraded peatlands in the country could help to avoid up to 2 million tonnes of carbon emissions per year. The Peatland Standard for Ireland will help landowners attract funding to accelerate peatland revival. Those wishing to restore peatlands on their land will be able to fund their projects by offering verified ecosystem certificates encompassing carbon, biodiversity, and water benefits to organisations wanting to invest in and support conservation and sustainability initiatives. Irish peatlands are waterlogged, carbon-rich habitats for diverse species that regulate water flow, quality, and flood risks. However, most Irish bogs are degraded due to human activities. The new science-based certification creates a methodology to quantify improvements across emission reductions, water storage and quality, biodiversity, ecosystem functions, community benefits, and wildfire prevention. "The new Peatland Standard recognises the environmental, economic, and societal benefits from reviving these vital ecosystems," said Dr Shane Mc Guinness of Peatland Finance Ireland. "Quantifying the benefits of carbon, biodiversity, and water enhancements will unlock financing for community restoration work, which is only possible when funding comes from a diverse and blended range of sources. It is encouraging to see businesses, alongside national and European public bodies, providing blended financing to support positive environmental impact." The development of the Standard has been supported by a €495,000 commitment from Amazon's Right Now Climate Fund, as well as the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; and the Natural Capital Financing Facility (NCFF) of the European Investment Bank (EIB). "Peatlands are vital stores of carbon, but their degraded state means they currently release over two million tonnes of greenhouse gases every year," said John Boumphrey, Amazon's UK and Ireland Country Manager. "We're supporting the development of the Peatland Standard for Ireland because properly financing restoration projects can bring great benefits to both local communities and the broader environment." The Standard has been developed over the past 15 months and is now under public consultation with the expectation to go live early next year. It was developed by Peatland Finance Ireland, a not-for-profit supported by academic, not-for-profit, governmental, and semi-state bodies. The work of Peatland Finance Ireland aligns with Ireland's Climate Action Plan, which cites the potential of peatland restoration to reduce emissions through nature-based solutions. The certification will comply with international environmental principles and align with the EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming Certification Framework. Independent third-party auditors, working to ISO standards, will validate and verify ecosystem improvement claims.

The Mak Jintan peat swamp forest in Terengganu is the last known virgin peat swamp in Peninsular Malaysia. Peatlands are essential ecosystems, teeming with biodiversity and playing a critical role in carbon storage and water regulation. So when plans emerged to convert the Mak Jintan peat swamp forest into an oil palm plantation, it sparked significant concern among scientists, conservationists, and even an industry regulator. We speak to Law Yao Hua, an environmental journalist and co-founder of environmental journalism portal Macaranga, about his recent investigations into this project, and we also explore the importance of these fragile ecosystems, and discuss sustainable ways to protect and manage them. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Clare organisation is set to receive crucial project funding under the Peatlands and Natura Community Engagement Scheme The scheme is distributing €458,000 of funding between 36 local community groups and Ennistymon-based restoration charity Hometree is set to receive just under €60,000 for two of their projects.  Their Cnocán Bán Restoration Project aims to to restore thousands of acres of temperate rainforests and will receive €39,731 from the €59,678 provided.  Hometree Wild Atlantic Rainforest Project Manager Jessica Williams says state funding is crucial for the organisation and its projects.

Tuesday, July 16, 2024 Sliced: Peatlands in Carbon Markets In this edition of Sliced, we highlight peatlands as an important global ecosystem with significant potential for climate change mitigation and climate finance. Despite their massive potential, peatlands have received very little attention in carbon markets. -- Sliced is a weekly short-form dispatch released every Tuesday that features original thought pieces from our team members with the goal of slicing apart the various complex aspects of climate finance.  If you want to check out the written version of Sliced, click here. And if you want to receive Sliced to your inbox, click ⁠here⁠.  Sliced is produced by ⁠Gordian Knot Strategies⁠. It is written, narrated, and edited by ⁠Jay Tipton⁠. Visit us at www.gordianknotstrategies.com.  Music is by ⁠Coma-Media.

(Jun 3, 2024) After former President Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts in his hush money trial, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik's office released a statement, then an updated one that amplifies her claims of corruption; the last scheduled week of the legislative session begins today. But there's still a lot of disconnect on remaining bills -including combatting climate change and regulating kids' social media feeds; and, we'll head into a buggy, boggy wetland at the Paul Smith's College VIC to talk with Charlie Reinertsen, founder of the Northern Peatlands Project.

Susan Daly talks with Noteworthy's Steven Fox and German reporter Swantje Furtak about the lack of preservation of bogs in Ireland and Germany. These were part of an extensive cross-border investigation with reporters based in Germany and Italy. Steven focused on actions by two State companies — Coillte and Bord na Móna — and looked at the planting of forestry and development of wind farms on our precious peatland. This comes as Ireland has just been referred by the European Commission to the European Court of Justice over the State's failure to halt industrial peat extraction.

Una Kelly, RTÉ Reporter and Malcolm Noonan, Minister of State with responsibility for Heritage and Electoral Reform

More details about title image -> Example of a peatlands restoration project in County Wicklow. The €600k rewetting initiative announced by Transport Research Arena will restore 100 hectares of degraded blanket bog in Wicklow Mountains National Park, in a collaboration bringing together TRA, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Department of Transport. The organisers of Transport Research Arena (TRA2024) have launched a €600,000 peatlands rewetting project in County Wicklow as preparations continue for the conference taking place in Dublin in April. TRA is the largest European event to address all aspects of transport and mobility and it is estimated that bringing it to Dublin will be worth €7 million to the Irish economy. Peatlands restoration scheme in Wicklow The rewetting initiative will restore 100 hectares of degraded blanket bog in Wicklow Mountains National Park, in a collaboration bringing together TRA2024, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Department of Transport. Healthy peatlands are the most efficient, long-term and concentrated carbon stores and sinks in our planet's biosphere. One hectare of restored blanket bog avoids 10 tonnes of carbon loss per year, and with a lifetime of thousands of years it will carry on capturing carbon long into the future. Director of TRA2024 Dublin Dr Albert Daly says making a positive environmental impact is important to the organisers: "Hosting TRA2024 in Dublin is a fantastic opportunity and as an island nation, we are conscious that bringing people here contributes to the event's carbon footprint. This major Peatland Restoration project - which will prevent the release of nearly 1000 tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere annually for many years to come - serves as a reminder of the importance of developing low-carbon transport, which is one of the priorities at TRA2024". Dr Billy O'Keeffe, senior geologist/hydrogeologist at TII, who will lead the initiative, said: "This Wetlands Restoration Project harnesses the power of one of our greatest natural assets. In addition to reducing carbon emissions, healthy blanket bogs can improve water quality, prevent flooding and reduce the risk of drought and wildfires. They are also richly biodiverse, offering habitats for a massive array of plants, birds and insects." The TRA2024 Dublin event will run from 15 - 18 April and will discuss all modes of transport including road, rail, air, water and cross modality, in urban, inter-urban and rural settings. The importance of developing sustainable transport is a significant part of the event programme, while one of the four days is fully dedicated to discussing themes of decarbonisation and improving transport sustainability. Attendees at the event in the RDS will include two European Commissioners and three Director Generals, Government representatives from the EU, UK and US, and officials from leading global businesses including Google, Collins Aerospace, BMW, SNCF and Stena. Over 1,200 submissions from researchers around the globe have already been received and over 940 of these will be presented throughout the week in Dublin as researchers plot a way to a more sustainable transport future for the planet. TRA2024 is supported by the European Commission and the Irish Government. For more information and to register, please visit https://traconference.eu/ See more breaking stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie ...

With the return of the El Niño weather pattern after a three-year hiatus, several Southeast Asian nations are preparing for the resurgence of the hazardous haze caused by peatland fires in Indonesia. Indonesia's 24 million hectares of tropical peatlands – the largest holding worldwide – support vital biodiversity and carbon storage. However, agricultural expansion and drainage for oil palm and pulpwood plantations pose severe threats to these ecosystems. These activities release vast amounts of greenhouse gases, and peat, once drained, is also highly combustible, emitting even more greenhouse gases if ignited. So how closely linked is the fate of the peatlands to global warming? And how can Indonesia balance its development needs while also protecting the environment and contributing to global climate goals? Experts on Indonesia's peatlands, Professor Daniel Murdiyarso and Dr Luba Volkova, examine the current state of Indonesia's peatlands and ongoing conservation efforts, in conversation with presenter Peter Clarke.An Asia Institute podcast.Produced and edited by profactual.com.Music by audionautix.com.

In this episode Clara looks at peatlands and why they are important. Then she moves onto talking about current research regarding peatlands (especially bogs and fens). Resources: https://peatlands.org/peatlands/https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/global-assessment-reveals-huge-potential-peatlands-climate-solutionhttps://www.climateneutralgroup.com/en/news/five-future-scenarios-ar6-ipcc/http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2014GB004845https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-12479-0#Sec4Mummified Bodies:https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/five-fascinating-ice-age-finds-discovered-in-yukon-permafrost-180979521/https://www.bordnamonalivinghistory.ie/article-detail/archaeological-finds-in-the-peatlands-of-ireland/https://www.iflscience.com/bog-bodies-were-overwhelmingly-killed-by-violence-analysis-of-1000-bodies-finds-68080Seed Bank and KC Irving Centerhttps://kcirvingcentre.acadiau.ca/research/seed-and-tissue-bank-programs/https://www.facebook.com/ECSmithHerbarium/Ducks Unlimited:https://www.ducks.ca/

Peat is big business and great for farming. But it's also an increasing climate problem. Because when taken out of wetlands and dried, it emits lots of CO2. While Germany is trying to limit use and production, demand to source it from other countries is increasing. Are there more sustainable methods? World in Progress talks to peat producers and experts to find out.

'A Vastness of Space' is a story about my trip to the Flow Country, a region of vast peatlands spanning Caithness and Sutherland. We travel through the area by car, by train, by bike and on foot, and learn about the fascinating ecology of a blanket bog. From its complex system of interlinked peat pools to a variety of birds and insects that call these moorlands their home.We also talk to Milly Revill-Hayward from the RSPB who - along with her colleagues - takes care of the Forsinard Flows Nature Reserve at the heart of the Flow Country.Visit our website to find the full show notes incl. the transcript, tips for a trip to the Flow Country and links to further reading about bogs.Check out my detailed travel guide for the Flow Country.Listen to our episode 'The Big Picture' to learn more about peat bog restoration.Find out how to support our show and unlock bonus content.Help us spread the word about Wild for Scotland! If you hear something you like in this episode, take a screenshot and share what you like about it on your Instagram stories. And tag us @wildforscotland so we can say thank you! Join our email list for weekly resources and glimpses behind the scenes.Follow us on Instagram @wildforscotlandAlso check out my Scotland blog Watch Me See!

(Jul 7, 2023) The Adirondacks are a prime location to study climate change because the region straddles ecological zones of the boreal north and places much further south. Adirondack ecologist Steve Langdon says peatlands are a special bellwether for climate change inside the Blue Line. Also: New York is putting the brakes on a proposal to sell legal marijuana at farmers markets.

This week on Coffee Table: Peatlands perseveration, beaver reintroduction and stream ecology on the Kenai Peninsula with guests from the Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies.

This month, Bill and Steve visit Floating Fen, although some might call it a bog, or is it a swamp? Thankfully, they're joined by Erik Danielson, Stewardship Coordinator of the Western NY Land Conservancy (WNYLC), who schools them on the difference between these wetlands. Erik and the WNYLC are trying to preserve Floating Fen, a property home to a unique wetland, extraordinary life, and a diverse forest. Erik guides Bill and Steve through the fen, discussing just what makes a bog a bog and a fen a fen, as well as what makes these peatlands such amazing habitats.The episode was recorded on June 17, 2023 at the Floating Fen near Fredonia, NY.Episode Notes Please comment below if you notice any mistakes or unanswered questions in the episode.Links to the Western NY Land ConservancyVisit the website of the Western New York Land Conservancy to find out more about their vital conservation efforts.Find out more about the Floating Fen, including the efforts to preserve it.Explore the WNY Land Conservancy's Western New York Wildway, their ambitious new initiative to create an extensive series of protected lands that connect the vast forests of northern Pennsylvania to the Great Lakes, central NY, the Adirondacks, and beyond.Other Episode-related LinksA one-page primer on Conservation EasementsThe book that Erik mentioned was A Focus on Peatlands and Peat Mosses by Howard (not Viktor) Crum.The Wildlands Network - the group responsible for initially identifying the four “Continental Wildways” traversing the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines, the Canadian Boreal Forest region, and the “Spine of the Continent” between Alaska and Mexico.Bill's article about Mike Radomski, Outside Chronicles, and the WNY Hiking ChallengeSponsors and Ways to Support UsGumleaf Boots, USA (free shipping for patrons)Thank you to Always Wandering Art (Website and Etsy Shop) for providing the artwork for many of our episodes! Support us on Patreon!Check out the Field Guides merch at our Teespring store. It's really a great deal: you get to pay us to turn your body into a billboard for the podcast!References / Works CitedBenyus, Janine 1989, A Field Guide to Wildlife Habitats of the Eastern United States, Touchstone Books, Chicago.The Conversation – Peatlands keep a lout of carbon out of Earth's Atmosphere, but that could end with warming and developmentWetland types: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-01/documents/types_of_wetlands.pdf

Historically in Ireland, bogs have been exploited for their resources by colonial powers, governments and semi-state bodies. This has resulted in extensive loss of peatlands in Ireland and this has had negative impacts on the communities and wildlife that rely on these spaces. In this podcast the concepts of spatial justice and multispecies justice are discussed in relation to the loss of peatlands in Ireland and are used to understand what this means for locals and wildlife who rely on these spaces. As society today moves towards reaching climate targets in a bid to reduce harmful emissions this podcast also examines the methods and aims of the Irish government around the “Just Transition” and how moves to cease turf extraction are affecting the communities who relied so heavily on this system for employment and resources for centuries.

Peatlands and wetlands are vital landscapes. They store carbon and so help mitigate the harmful effects of climate change, they help buffer floodwaters and naturally filter drinking water, and they are often rich habitats for biodiversity. But peatlands and wetlands have been widely drained, altered and lost across Europe as a result of human actions.This episode explores how peatlands and wetlands across the continent are being restored through a series of ambitious projects supported by the MERLIN project. Podcast host Rob St John meets a range of restoration scientists and managers implementing so-called 'nature-based solutions' at their sites across Europe. Their schemes include beaver reintroduction, peatland 'rewetting' and wet woodland restoration.We also hear from MERLIN project coordinator Dr Sebastian Birk on the need for fresh thinking around how to finance restoration schemes. Dr Birk discusses the challenges of accounting for factors such as carbon storage when assessing the benefits that restoration can bring to society.

New York state has adopted a new law aimed at using federal funds to boost public power from renewables and shut down six polluting “peaker” gas power plants. Advocates say this will lower electricity rates and boost public health, environmental justice, and energy access. Also, peat that's burned for energy is a major emissions source in Finland, which aims to become net zero by 2035. Peat mining is also a leading cause of habitat loss in the country. The winner of the 2023 Goldman Environmental Prize for Europe joins us to share how life is flourishing in the peatlands he's helped restore. And as many as 13 percent of American households now keep chickens as pets and a cruelty-free source of fresh eggs. The author of the new book Under the Henfluence: Inside the World of Backyard Chickens and the People Who Love Them joins us to share the joys of raising chickens. -- And thanks to our sponsor: Oregon State University. Find out more about how Oregon State is making a difference at leadership.oregonstate.edu/cic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Markham interviews Dr. Lorna Harris, scientist and program lead, Forests, Peatlands and Climate Change for · Wildlife Conservation Society Canada discusses a report co-authored with Dr. Kelly Biagi, “A Review of Suncor's McClelland Lake Wetland Complex Operational Plan for the Fort Hills Oil Sands Project” for the Alberta Wilderness Association. 

The Congo Basin contains the world's second-largest rainforest, a staggering 178 million hectares: containing myriad wildlife and giant trees plus numerous human communities, it is also one of the world's biggest carbon sinks.  On this first episode of a new season of Mongabay Explores, we take you to the Congo Basin and begin with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which contains 60% of central Africa's forest, but which also aims to open up protected areas and forested peatlands to oil and gas development.  We speak with Adams Cassinga, a DRC resident and founder of Conserv Congo, and Joe Eisen, executive director of Rainforest Foundation UK, about the environmental and conservation challenges faced by the DRC and the Congo Basin in general.  Find the first three seasons of Mongabay Explores – where we explored Sumatra, New Guinea, and more – via the podcast provider of your choice, or locate all episodes of the Mongabay Explores podcast on our podcast homepage here.  Episode Artwork: A girl carries fruit back to Konye village. As industrial agricultural techniques spread into forests of the Congo Basin, alternatives like agroforestry that can benefit farmers, consumers and natural resources are also on the rise. Image © Greenpeace / John Novis Sounds heard during the intro and outro: The call of a putty-nosed monkey (Cercopithecus nictitans). This soundscape was recorded in Ivindo National Park in Gabon by Zuzana Burivalova, Walter Mbamy, Tatiana Satchivi, and Serge Ekazama. Please invite your friends to subscribe to Mongabay Explores wherever they get podcasts.  If you enjoy our podcast content, please visit www.patreon.com/mongabay to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps!  See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: news.mongabay.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok by searching for @mongabay. Feedback is always welcome: submissions@mongabay.com.

Sarah is the author of one of the shortlisted research articles for the Southwood Prize 2022, celebrating early career ecologists. Lydia Groves, publishing assistant for Journal of Applied Ecology, sits down with Sarah Schwieger to discuss the research article 'Rewetting prolongs root growing season in minerotrophic peatlands and mitigates negative drought effects'. Find the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14222

In this episode our guest is Ariel Bustamante, self-taught sound artist from Chile. We talk about his collaborations with the Selk'nam people in Karukinka, Tierra del Fuego, and the Uru-Chipayan nation living between the North of Chile and Bolivia. We hear about the cosmologies and practices of these people, especially the practice of singing to peatlands. This relationship of mutual care between the Selk'nam people and the peatlands was presented in the trans-disciplinary project “Turba Tol Hol-Hol Tol” at the Venice Biennale in the Chilean Pavilion in 2022. Ariel also shares with us his experience of living alone in the Atacama desert, walking with "wind-persons” and what the spiritual powers of nature can teach us humans. Finally, we discuss the dangers of generalizing Indigenous nations and knowledge systems as well as the relevance and colonial history of anthropology and ethnography.  This podcast is brought to you by Dr. Aouefa Amoussouvi and 99 Questions at Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss. For more information, show notes and the podcast transcript, visit https://www.humboldtforum.org/en/programm/digitales-angebot/digital-en/decolonial-ecologies-76021/ . Image © Elia Diane Fushi Bekene, selflovetribute.com / Background Image: Sasha Engelmann & Sophie Dyer, "Image transmitted by satellite NOAA-19".

Peatlands are a type of wetland which occur in almost every country and are known to cover at least 3% of global land surface. Peatlands are an integral part of our ecosystem - they are the largest natural terrestrial carbon store, and can store more carbon than all other vegetation types in the world combined. Sadly, these are areas that have been undervalued for years, seen as no-man's land, or one that only has value if modified for some "better" use. Working towards improving the image of peatlands are the good people from the People for Peat (PFP) coalition, who over the last four years, have supported peatland communities in Southeast Asia (SEA), to promote sustainable use of peatland in ASEAN. Malaysia's Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre (TRCRC) were also part of the coalition, and they join us to share more about the People for Peat programme, and to shed more light on their achievements thus far. We speak to Mariam Ghani (Stakeholder Engagement and Communications Manager) and Dr. Lee Jo Kien (Lead Analyst, Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre (TRCRC) for moreSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Any discussion of climate change must consider the role of peatlands. These water-soaked ecosystems comprised of decaying mosses and other plant matter cover a mere 3 percent of the earth's surface yet store more carbon than all of the world's forests. But a debate in Canada now pits the mining of minerals essential to renewable energy against protection of critical peatlands. To learn more, WCS Wild Audio checked in with Lorna Harris, a scientist and the program lead for WCS Canada's national program for Forests, Peatlands, and Climate Change.

Phasing out the use of peat moss is considered a good thing for several reasons, mainly related to its environmental and ecological impacts. Here are some key reasons why reducing or eliminating the use of peat moss is beneficial:Preservation of carbon sinks: Peatlands, where peat moss grows, are vital carbon sinks, storing vast amounts of carbon over long periods. Extracting peat moss releases stored carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. Phasing out peat moss use helps reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change impacts.Biodiversity conservation: Peatlands are home to many unique plant and animal species, some of which are endangered or rare. The destruction of peatlands for peat moss extraction disrupts these ecosystems, leading to habitat loss and a decline in biodiversity. By phasing out peat moss, we can help protect these valuable habitats and the species that depend on them.Water management: Peatlands play a crucial role in water management, acting as natural filters and helping to regulate water levels. The extraction of peat moss can disrupt these processes, leading to water pollution, increased flood risks, and diminished water storage capacity. Reducing peat moss use helps maintain healthy peatlands and their valuable water management functions.Soil preservation: Peatlands take thousands of years to form, and peat moss extraction can quickly deplete this non-renewable resource. Phasing out peat moss helps to preserve these unique soil formations for future generations.Alternative materials: There are sustainable alternatives to peat moss available, such as coconut coir, compost, and other soil amendments. These options can fulfill many of the same functions as peat moss without the negative environmental impacts.In conclusion, phasing out peat moss is a positive step towards preserving peatland ecosystems, mitigating climate change, and promoting sustainable practices. By seeking alternatives and reducing demand for peat moss, we can help protect these valuable natural resources and the many benefits they provide.

On this week's episode of ClimateCast, Tom Heap heads to Aberdeenshire to enjoy some local peated whisky - but what actually is peat and why are its uses so controversial?Peatlands, also known as bogs, are key in the UK's fight against climate change. Their spongy soil stores vast amounts of carbon and are a haven for biodiversity - but their commercial benefits are endless too from heating homes to flavouring famous Scottish whisky. As Scotland contemplates banning the digging and burning of peat, Tom hikes across some of the country's bogs to discover their wonders. He also visits a family run business who've been selling peat to locals for generations as well as a distillery who say they can restore more peat than they use for their tipple. Producer: Emma Rae WoodhouseEditors: Paul Stanworth and Philly Beaumont

The DEFRA programme to pilot a vaccine for cattle against Bovine Tuberculosis is about the enter its second stage. This will involve five farms with 600 cattle. The trial combines the BCG vaccine and the DIVA test, which shows clearly which cattle have been vaccinated and which have been challenged by the disease, and it's hoped both together could work to identify where the disease is and also protect cattle at risk. There's been a re-organisation of government departments. Grant Shapps is the new Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary; Michelle Donelan becomes the Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary. Both of those roles will have to liaise closely with DEFRA - on the future of land use for energy, and innovations including gene editing. All week we're taking a look at the future of our peatlands. In many parts of the country lowland peat is drained and used to grow vegetables and other crops but this degrades the peat and emits carbon. Farmers in Germany are developing something called ‘paludiculture', using re-wetted peat lands to grow water tolerant vegetation, which also has a market. A company called Wetland Products is growing bulrushes in water-covered peat and turning it into housing insulation, takeaway food packaging, and compost for commercial growers. Bulrushes and reeds also clean up the excess nutrients in the water where they grow. Also in the Fens, a group of farmers and scientists are working together to see if they can change the way farming food is done on peatlands. A collaboration called Fenland Soil has been set to try out new wetter farming techniques. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

A new study has found that small-scale burning of heather on peatlands can be beneficial to ground nesting birds, and the peat itself. The practice of burning heather has been controversial - it's sometimes supported by managers of grouse-shooting moorland, but opposed by many conservationists. The study will span 20 years and is now half way through. It compares three different management techniques - controlled burning, mowing, and no-management. We speak to Associate Professor Andreas Heinemeyer, from the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York who's led the research. Experts from the Wildlife Trusts however, say peatlands are vital for carbon capture, and bogs should not be managed for heather. They say heather's a sign of peatland that's dried out and the best way to manage them is to re-wet them. They don't want any burning of vegetation on peatland at all. All week we're looking at the fishing industry. Recruiting more UK workers is a problem for the sector. A new Fishers Apprenticeship hopes to attract more young people.The programme is a collaboration between the fishing industry and South Devon College, and is open for applicants right now. We speak to a fishing company in Brixham who are looking for apprentices and South Devon College who'll be teaching them. Presenter = Anna Hill Producer = Rebecca Rooney

The Congo peatlands in central Africa are the world's largest tropical peatlands complex, occupying an area of 65,000 square miles, about the size of the entire state of Florida. Peatlands represent a huge store of carbon and therefore are important to the stability of the climate. A study by scientists at the University of Leeds […]

In this episode we chat with Peatland ACTION Project Officers Ben Inglis-Grant and Sue White. Both are based on Scottish islands; Sue works with Shetland Amenity Trust and Ben is with Carloway Estate Trust on the isle of Lewis.We hear about their varied work with Peatland ACTION, the national programme helping to restore damaged peatlands in Scotland, led and funded by Scottish Government and delivered by NatureScot and partners.  They explain the importance of peatlands and how restoring these vital carbon stores can provide a range of benefits for people and nature, and help tackle climate change.Further reading:Peatland ACTIONPeatland ACTION Fund - how to applyThe Shetland Amenity TrustUrras Oighreachd Chàrlabhaigh (Carloway Estate Trust)

We take a listen to how the climate crisis is affecting people's lives in different parts of Africa — from profound societal impacts in Maasai communities in Kenya, to the mental health challenges people are enduring in South Africa, to threatened tropical peatland ecosystems in the Cuvette Centrale basin in the DRC.

In episode three of this Natural Capital Series we are joined by Dr Emily Taylor to explore the very relevant and important topic of peatlands. Peatlands are a key part of the Scottish landscape covering over 20% of the land. Healthy peatlands are valuable carbon stores and provide many ecosystem services and benefits to people and nature. We discuss the importance and value of this natural capital resource, the various work that is ongoing to protect and restore peatland and what land managers can do to look after it. Dr Emily Taylor is a peatland specialist and leads the Crichton Carbon Centre, overseeing all of their projects. Emily has developed, and is delivering, the highly popular Peatland Action Restoration Events throughout Scotland. The Earth's soils, rocks, air, water, plants and animals are all valuable resources that provide a wide range of services and benefits. These resources need to be carefully managed and maintained to support a healthy functioning environment. In this Natural Capital podcast series, hosted by Rachel Smillie we will explore different natural capital assets and their value to Scottish agriculture and the rural economy, including the opportunities and risks for the future. Hosted by Rachel Smillie, produced by Iain Boyd, editor Ross Mackenzie, executive producer Kerry Hammond. Timestamps What is peatland? : 2:22 – 8:52 What is involved in peatland restoration? : 8:53 – 13:47 Peatland Action and The Peatland Code : 13:47 – 18:57 Ecosystem services and land use : 18:57 – 29:05 Advice to landowners and potential financial benefits : 30:58 – 34:17 Related FAS Resources Protecting Scotland's Peatlands - https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/protecting-scotlands-peatlands/ FAS TV S2 E11 - Peatland Restoration in Shetland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txdnXcOy8Eo FAS Sounds: https://www.fas.scot/sounds/ FAS Environment Pages: https://www.fas.scot/environment/ Other Related Resources Crichton Carbon Centre - https://www.carboncentre.org/ Peatland Action - https://www.nature.scot/climate-change/nature-based-solutions/peatland-action-project Peatland Code - https://www.iucn-uk-peatlandprogramme.org/peatland-code/introduction-peatland-code How to assess the condition of peatland - https://www.nature.scot/doc/peatland-action-how-do-i-assess-condition-my-peatland Scotland's Forum on Natural Capital - https://naturalcapitalscotland.com/

In episode three of this Natural Capital Series, we are joined by Dr Emily Taylor to explore the very relevant and important topic of peatlands. Peatlands are a key part of the Scottish landscape covering over 20% of the land. Healthy peatlands are valuable carbon stores and provide many ecosystem services and benefits to people and nature. We discuss the importance and value of this natural capital resource, the various work that is ongoing to protect and restore peatland and what land managers can do to look after it. Dr Emily Taylor is a peatland specialist and leads the Crichton Carbon Centre, overseeing all of their projects. Emily has developed, and is delivering, the highly popular Peatland Action Restoration Events throughout Scotland. The Earth's soils, rocks, air, water, plants and animals are all valuable resources that provide a wide range of services and benefits. These resources need to be carefully managed and maintained to support a healthy functioning environment. In this Natural Capital podcast series, hosted by Rachel Smillie we will explore different natural capital assets and their value to Scottish agriculture and the rural economy, including the opportunities and risks for the future. Hosted by Rachel Smillie, produced by Iain Boyd, editor Ross Mackenzie, executive producer Kerry Hammond. Timestamps What is peatland? : 2:22 – 8:52 What is involved in peatland restoration? : 8:53 – 13:47 Peatland Action and The Peatland Code : 13:47 – 18:57 Ecosystem services and land use : 18:57 – 29:05 Advice to landowners and potential financial benefits : 30:58 – 34:17 Related FAS Resources Protecting Scotland's Peatlands - https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/protecting-scotlands-peatlands/ FAS TV S2 E11 - Peatland Restoration in Shetland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txdnXcOy8Eo FAS Sounds:  https://www.fas.scot/sounds/ FAS Environment Pages: https://www.fas.scot/environment/ Other Related Resources Crichton Carbon Centre - https://www.carboncentre.org/ Peatland Action - https://www.nature.scot/climate-change/nature-based-solutions/peatland-action-project Peatland Code - https://www.iucn-uk-peatlandprogramme.org/peatland-code/introduction-peatland-code How to assess the condition of peatland -  https://www.nature.scot/doc/peatland-action-how-do-i-assess-condition-my-peatland Scotland's Forum on Natural Capital - https://naturalcapitalscotland.com/

Peatlands are great for the climate because they store huge amounts of carbon, but the majority of them were dried out for peat mining and agricultural purposes. Now peatlands are being rewetted by the very farmers who destroyed them.

Any discussion of climate change must consider the role of peatlands. These water-soaked ecosystems comprised of decaying mosses and other plant matter cover a mere 3 percent of the earth's surface yet store more carbon than all of the world's forests. But a debate in Canada now pits the mining of minerals essential to renewable energy against protection of critical peatlands. To learn more, WCS Wild Audio checked in with Lorna Harris, a scientist and the program lead for WCS Canada's national program for Forests, Peatlands, and Climate Change.

Angela Gallego-Sala joins us in this episode to discuss their peatland research. This episode is being on International Bog day which is on the 24th July. Angela is a professor at the University of Exeter and is a specialist in peatlands. Angela is working to understand why peatlands form in certain places and other places not and is working towards improving the mapping of peatlands globally. Peatlands are wet, carbon rich ecosystems where dead plant material, or OM, is not given the opportunity to break down. For this reason, peatlands store large amounts of carbon and even play a role regulating the Earth's climate. SPOILER ALERT: Angela expects that peatlands may expand with human-induced climate change because this is what we've witnessed under previous periods of climate warming. We also discuss the implications that accompany protecting peatlands from agricultural land use in developing countries with widespread poverty. Angela is also a member and organiser of C-PEAT - an international consortium of peatland scientists, attended the COP26 in Glasgow to contribute to the Peatland Pavillion. Angela also contributes to PAGES, an international palaeoclimate research group. Soil Matters respectfully acknowledges all indigenous peoples connected to the soils and lands across this planet. We particularly offer respect to the elders past, present, and emerging that are, have been, or will be caretakers of peatlands. Angela Gallego-Sala: https://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/tropeacc/team/angela-gallego-sala/ https://geography.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=Angela_Gallego-Sala

Ecosystems have the ability to absorb and store large amounts of carbon. While natural carbon sinks are key in the fight to curb global warming, scientists say better agricultural practices can also play a role.

KAXE's Tuesday Morning Show strives to take an in-depth look at some natural resource-based issues important to our region. Producer Mark Jacobs and hosts Heidi Holtan and John Latimer hope to discuss not only the problems but also highlight some creative solutions.

New frog just dropped. Happy birthday to Finn and Oran this week! Have a great birthday, both of you! Further reading: Frog with tapir-like nose found in Amazon rainforest, thanks to its "beeping" call Meet the tapir frog: Looks kind of like the South American tapir, but frog: Show transcript: Welcome to Strange Animals Podcast. I'm your host, Kate Shaw. This week we have a short episode about the recent discovery of a mystery frog in Peru--but first, we have TWO birthday shout-outs! That's twice the fun! Happy birthday to both Finn and Oran! I hope your birthdays are amazing! Maybe you should each have two birthday parties, one for yourself and one for the other, even though you don't know each other and your birthdays are actually on different days. Peru is a country in western South America, and it's home to the Amazon Basin rainforest and many other habitats. Frogs are common throughout the Amazon, naturally, since there's a whole lot of water and rain, and it's warm all the time. One particular genus of frog, Synapturanus, is especially widespread but is hard to find because it spends most of its time underground. A team of scientists researching the Amazon's diversity of animals and plants, especially those organisms that are mostly hidden for various reasons, heard about a particular Synapturanus frog known to the people of the area. The frog is nocturnal and lives underground in burrows it digs in the Amazon peatlands. Peat is wet soil made up mostly of partially decayed vegetation. It's the first step in the formation of coal beds, but the coal takes millions of years to form whereas peat only take thousands of years to form. Peatlands are really important to the ecological health of the entire earth, because they store so much carbon and absorb so much water. The scientists knew from locals that this particular frog existed. The next step was to actually find it so they could learn more about it. A small team of scientists from Peru and other countries traveled to the area, and local guides took them to sites where the frog was supposed to live. Because the frog is nocturnal, they had to go at night to find it. But because the frog also spends most of its time underground, they couldn't just walk around shining flashlights on frog-shaped things in hopes of finding a new species of frog. Instead, they had to listen. Many new frog species are only discovered after a frog expert hears a call they don't recognize. That was the case for this frog. The male makes a loud beeping noise, especially after rain. Whenever one of the scientists heard one, they'd immediately drop to the ground and start digging with their hands. I can't even imagine how muddy they must have gotten. It was around 2am on the last night of the search when their digging paid off. A little brown frog hopped out of its disturbed burrow and all the scientists scrambled around in an excited panic to catch it carefully before it got away. This is what the frog sounds like: [tapir frog beeping] The locals call the frog rana danta, which means tapir frog. The tapir, as you may remember from episodes 18 and 245, among others, is a sort of pig-shaped animal with a short trunk-like snoot called a proboscis. It's distantly related to rhinoceroses and horses. It uses its proboscis to gather plants and spends a lot of time underwater, and will even sink to the bottom of a pond or stream and walk across it on the bottom instead of swimming. The tapir most common around the Amazon in Peru is the South American tapir. It's dark brown in color with a tiny little stub of a tail and a shorter proboscis than other tapir species. Its proboscis looks less like a little trunk and more like a long pointy nose. The tapir frog is chocolate brown in color, has no tail of course because it's a frog, and while it has a chonky body sort of life a tapir, its nose draws out to a blunt point.

Bertie talked to renowned peatland expert Professor Roxane Andersen, of the University of Highlands & Islands, the Environmental Research Institute, and the Flow Country Research Hub. They talked about the Flow Country in Scotland, her research on restoration, monitoring, and peatland fires, and more generally about why peatlands are so important for climate mitigation. After our podcast last year with Ed Struzik, listeners got in touch to say they wanted more content on peatlands, especially covering the science! We reached out to Professor Andersen, and were delighted she agreed to come on the show: do get in touch with recommendations or feedback, if there is anything you would like to hear about. We love hearing from you all.Further reading from this episode: - Read about the InSAR monitoring technology here, and in even more detail here!- Read about the FireBlanket project here- Read about the damaging afforestation on peatlands in the UK in the 1970s and 1980s here- Read about the Flow Country here, including the application to make it a UNESCO world heritage site

Today's good news: Therapy dogs significantly reduce er patients' perception of pain, and why the world's peatlands are worth saving. If you'd like to lend your voice to the Optimist Daily Update, send an email to: editorial@optimistdaily.com. Listen to the Optimist Daily Update with Summers & Kristy - Making Solutions the News!

Scientists prove some forest is better than no forest! Plus Californians defeat Big Utility! Peatland Action Project: restoring Scotland's peat bogs, and restoring Russia's peatlands.

This week, we tackle a few thorny subjects. In South Africa, we look at poaching – not of animals, but of plants! Plants that could be sitting on your windowsill right now. We also take up the divisive topic of nuclear energy. And why protecting forests in the Democratic Republic of Congo is so crucial.

You know those soggy, low places, where the trees are leaning like they have had too much to drink, and the sharp yellow of the Tamaracks in fall makes you want to go for a long walk? Those are the places we are discussing today. Edward Struzik joins me to discuss his new book, Swamplands. He details the cultural histories, folklore, economic activities, species at risk, carbon capture capacity, flood mitigation and future, of the world's peatlands. ResourcesEdward's book: Swamplands: Tundra Beavers, Quaking Bogs, and the Improbable World of PeatSponsorsWest Fraser: https://www.westfraser.com/ GreenLink Forestry Inc.: http://greenlinkforestry.com/ Damaged Timber: https://www.damagedtimber.com/ GiveawayEnter YourForest10 at checkout at the Damaged Timber store for a 10% discount!Quotes34.37- 34.49: “Peatlands offer a much much better opportunity to deal with climate change issues and… also mitigate floods.” TakeawaysBiological hotspots (04.42)Edward speaks about his month-long river trip bursting with biodiversity which inspired him to write his book. He realized that peatlands provide great soil conditions as a medium for growth due to the accumulation of partially decayed vegetation in the wet, cold environment. From pollutification to peatlands (13.09)Edward explains that peatlands are formed by a kind of swamping. Swamps and marshes don't accumulate as much peat as quickly as fens and bogs do, which are the primary accumulators of peat.Wetlands are not wastelands (16.33)Edward shares some superstitions surrounding wetlands that arose due to the methane making them glow in the dark. The smell of Sulphur dioxide arising from the peat as well as the diseases from the bacteria in the water supply have evoked a revulsion in the public. An inexpensive, healthy ecosystem with carbon storage (28.01)The peatland ecosystem has 5 times more carbon storage capacity than an equivalent area in the Amazon rainforest. Peat releases polysaccharides which block bacterial growth, it filters runoff from the farms to prevent the growth of algae in lakes, helps in preventing forest fires, mitigates floods, and hosts many carnivorous plants. How to save the planet (37.01)Edward has been advocating and teaching about controlled burning to thin out the forest, as indigenous communities do, which reduces the intensity of fires and makes more moisture available. Restoring the peatland, restoring the habitat (51.60)Edward laments that limiting peatlands prevents the 3 to 5 billion birds that migrate from the south to nest. He cites studies and recalls stories discussing how different species of animals take refuge in peatlands. Protecting the protector of nature (1.06.59)With investment toward restoring peatlands, Edward says that we can “have much more success storing carbon, filtering water, buffering forests from wildfire and protecting endangered species”. Read, enjoy and learn! (1.18.25)Edward's aim in his book is to translate the debate of complex scientific issues to dinner-party conversation for the reader. He also aims to be more positive and centered, using optimism in his writing instead of picking sides in a battle. If you liked this podcast, please rate and review it, share it on Instagram and Facebook and tag a friend, and send your feedback and comments to yourforestpodcast@gmail.com.

A Conservation International study has mapped forests and other natural areas that store so much carbon, it could be impossible to offset their emissions if lost to development or natural disasters.

Bogs are small but mighty - they may make up a small percentage of the Earth's surface, but they are powerful ecosystems that act as "carbon sinks." PhD student Peter Lebrocquy Cox from Dublin, Ireland shares a bit more about these fascinating environments and the research behind their rehabilitation. You may not immediately think of bogs when you think of climate change mitigation, but that's what we're here for! If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:"For the Love of Peat" by 99% Invisible podcast "Ultimate bogs: how saving peatlands could help save the planet" (news article)"Peatland Legacy: Saving Ireland's Peatlands" (video)And you can follow our guest Peter on Twitter here and the Smart Bog project on Twitter here!Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.eduPodcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiangMusic in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438

In Cup 28 of 40, Rach talks with Dr Lydia Cole, conservation ecologist, fresh from COP26 on why peat is so important as a nature based solution in climate change. This is a beginners guide, with key resources detailed on what we need to know, what we can do and be inspired by a woman who loves her specialist subject. Get the kettle on and join us to talk earth and our relationship with her. We drink Pukka tea today. Resources referenced: UNESCO World Heritage Site: FLOW COUNTRY  International union for conservation nature: Round table on sustainable palm oil Peatland Code Guardian article post COP on importance on Peatlands Lydia blog post #COP26

"If you follow the developments at Glasgow, everyone's looking for the Big Idea. This, in my mind, is an obvious one."ELCI Assistant Editor Bertie Harrison-Broninski takes over to talk with veteran climate journalist Edward Struzik about his new book, Swamplands: tundra beavers, quaking bogs, and the improbable world of peat. They talk COP, burning peat for energy, the process of rewetting peatland, and Edward gives a cultural & historical background to peatlands, arguing that we still need to change cultural perspectives of our bogs, fens and marshes. You can also read our review of the book here. 

Reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions can slow the progress of global warming but only reaching and sustaining net zero global emissions can halt the progress of climate change. The move to renewable power and the use of electric transport are substantial and essential ways to reduce emissions.  But even if these transitions take […]

Once drained for palm oil or other agricultural uses, Indonesia's peatlands become very fire prone, putting people and rich flora and fauna--from orchids to orangutans--at risk. Over a million hectares of carbon-rich peatlands burned in Indonesia in 2019, creating a public health crisis not seen since 2015 when the nation's peatland restoration agency was formed to address the issue. To understand what is being done to restore peatlands, we speak with the Deputy Head of the National Peatland Restoration Agency, Budi Wardhana, and with Dyah Puspitaloka, a researcher on the value chain, finance and investment team at CIFOR, the Center for International Forestry Research. Restoration through agroforestry that benefits both people and planet is one positive avenue forward, which Dyah discusses in her remarks. For more on this topic, see the recent report at Mongabay, "Indonesia renews peat restoration bid to include mangroves, but hurdles abound." Episode artwork: Haze from fires in a peatland logging concession pollutes the air in Jambi Province, Indonesia. Image courtesy of Greenpeace Media Library. Please invite your friends to subscribe to Mongabay Explores wherever they get podcasts. You can also access our sister series, the Mongabay Newscast, by downloading our free app in the Apple App Store and in the Google Store to have access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy our podcast content, please visit www.patreon.com/mongabay to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonprofit media outlet and all support helps!  See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: news.mongabay.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram by searching for @mongabay. Feedback is always welcome: submissions@mongabay.com.

Dr Roucoux and the tropical peatlands of Peru by Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) Schools

Today we take a look at things that are often overlooked, but can add up to big solutions for the climate. One of them is air conditioning. What's its role in greenhouse gas emissions? And what are alternative ways to cool ourselves as the planet heats up? And we venture to Ireland to hear why peatlands are actually a huge deal when it comes to the climate.

As the world seeks to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that have been warming the climate, most of the focus has been on the primary contributors to the problem, such as the burning of fossil fuels.  But there are many smaller contributors to greenhouse gas emissions that individually play only a minor role but collectively […]

The habitats that comprise Sunkhaze Meadows Refuge in central Maine — including peat bogs, streamside meadows, shrub thickets, cedar swamps, and maple forests — are rich with bird life, like this Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. You'll also find Bobolinks and more than 20 kinds of warblers during the summer months. The flycatchers return to Sunkhaze Meadows annually from Panama, while Bobolinks migrate to Maine from as far as Bolivia. Learn more at BirdNote.org.

Today's storyteller is Dr Scott Davidson! Scott is a peat researcher and this podcast episode is all about peat! Peat is, very generally, partially decayed organic matter, and forms the base for ecosystems like peatlands, bogs, and more. Scott's work is focused on how disturbance and climate change will impact resilience of wetland systems, particularly peat lands! Peatlands are a type of wetland, and y'all know I love wetlands and so I had a lot of fun talking about all of this with Scott. We talk about why peatlands are important, how changes in peat can impact climate change (think massive greenhouse gas emissions), about his community science #PeatPicProject, and about the Peatlands ECR Action Team. Enjoy! --- You can find Rachel Villani on Twitter @flyingcypress and Storytellers of STEMM on Facebook and on the shiny new Twitter account @storytellers42. You can find Scott on Twitter @ScootJD and his website: https://sjdavidsonecology.com/. The Peat Pic Project can be found on Scott's website and using the hashtag #PeatPicProject. PEAT is the Peatlands ECR (Early Career Researcher) Action Team - https://peatecr.com/ Book List: Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty, The Ring of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell, The Broken Earth Trilogy by NK Jemisin Recorded on 22 May 2021.

This episode originally aired in May, 2019 and was produced by Andrew Parella. _______________________________________________________________________ Here at Something Wild we love all things wild (even blackflies !) but sometimes it can be helpful to look beyond a single species and consider how many species interact within a given environment. In our periodic series, New Hampshire’s Wild Neighborhoods, we endeavor to do just that and this time we’re looking at peatlands. Our Sherpa today is Ron Davis, a retired professor of ecology, limnology and wetland science from the University of Maine, Orono. Peatlands, as you might have guessed are classified by the mat of peat at its heart. Peat is formed from dead organic matter (leaves, branches, dead bugs, etc.), but that organic matter is only partly decomposed because there is no oxygen in the mat, or the water that you often find in such locations. The two most prominent kinds of peatlands in New Hampshire are bogs and fens. Davis

Once drained for palm oil or other agricultural uses, Indonesia's peatlands become very fire prone, putting people and rich flora and fauna--from orchids to orangutans--at risk. Over a million hectares of carbon-rich peatlands burned in Indonesia in 2019, creating a public health crisis not seen since 2015 when the nation's peatland restoration agency was formed to address the issue. To understand what is being done to restore peatlands, we speak with the Deputy Head of the National Peatland Restoration Agency, Budi Wardhana, and with Dyah Puspitaloka, a researcher on the value chain, finance and investment team at CIFOR, the Center for International Forestry Research. Restoration through agroforestry that benefits both people and planet is one positive avenue forward, which Dyah discusses in her remarks. For more on this topic, see the recent report at Mongabay, "Indonesia renews peat restoration bid to include mangroves, but hurdles abound." Episode artwork: Haze from fires in a peatland logging concession pollutes the air in Jambi Province, Indonesia. Image courtesy of Greenpeace Media Library. Please invite your friends to subscribe to the Mongabay Newscast wherever they get podcasts, or download our free app in the Apple App Store and in the Google Store to have access to our latest episodes at your fingertips. If you enjoy the Newscast, please visit www.patreon.com/mongabay to pledge a dollar or more to keep the show growing, Mongabay is a nonproft media outlet and all support helps! Supporting at the $10/month level now delivers access to Insider Content at Mongabay.com, too, please visit the link above for details. See all our latest news from nature's frontline at Mongabay's homepage: news.mongabay.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram by searching for @mongabay. Feedback is always welcome: submissions@mongabay.com.

Emily talk with Josh Styles, a highly distinguished Botanist, science communicator, and champion for some the UK's most threatened plants and habitats. Josh talks about our severely threatened peatlands, their importance, and how they are being restored. Listen now to find out how “we can make peatbogs sexy”! We challenge you not to fall in love with peatlands by the end!

This week, Gerard spoke with Dan Brown from Parks Vic about the work being done to protect and understand the Alpine Peatlands, vital sources of so many of our rivers. Topics discussed: The history of interst in Alpine Peatlands The issue of invasive species threatening the area Impact of bushfires Impact of climate change Links mentioned in this episode: Alpne Peatlands field work video by Stephen Curtain https://vimeo.com/265393764 WGCMA Alpine Peatlands project page https://www.wgcma.vic.gov.au/our-region/projects/alpine-peatlands-2 This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

In this podcast you will discover how important the UK's peatland is for climate change, biodiversity, water quality and more. Carbon-rich upland and lowland peatlands make up 12% of the UK's land area. Currently storing 20 times as much carbon as the UK's forests, they give the UK a significant advantage in the fight against climate change. However, much of the UK's peatland is in a degraded state, and options must be looked at to start restoring these valuable natural habitats. Alice Ritchie, CLA Climate Change Lead, shares with us the ongoing work in the uplands of England and Wales and how unique these ecosystems and habitats are, particularly for rural tourism. We are also joined by Jo Finlow, from Fens for the Future, who discusses the unique nature of lowland peat and how partnerships like Fens for the Future can work with stakeholders to achieve real change. For more information on the topics covered in today's podcast visit:Peatland Code: https://www.iucn-uk-peatlandprogramme.org/funding-finance/peatland-codeFens for the Future: https://www.fensforthefuture.org.uk/Moorland Association: https://www.moorlandassociation.org/Climate Change Committee: https://www.theccc.org.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Although freshwater sustains us in so many ways, it's often taken for granted — until it's gone. Peatlands drained for palm oil plantations in Indonesia exact an ecological and human toll. Kenya's Athi River, once a prime tourist attraction, has become a stinking cesspool. And, Bhutan banks on hydropower for its clean energy development.

Scotland's land and topography presents challenges for upland farmers across the country, but in many ways, it is also a blessing in disguise. Peatland, while not conventionally productive, provides important habitat and ecosystem services for farmers and the wider general public, retaining water, capturing carbon and providing important niche habitat for national priority species. Sustainable management of peatland will contribute to Scotland's climate goals and mitigate against biodiversity decline. In this episode of the Thrill of the Hill series the Farm Advisory Service (FAS) talks to the project coordinator for the Ayrshire Coalfield Environment Initiative, Daisy Whytock about a range of topics and issues, conflicts between woodlands and peatland, the importance of peatland as a carbon sink, responsible peatland utilisation and the role of peatland for pollinators.

Scotland’s land and topography presents challenges for upland farmers across the country, but in many ways, it is also a blessing in disguise. Peatland, while not conventionally productive, provides important habitat and ecosystem services for farmers and the wider general public, retaining water, capturing carbon and providing important niche habitat for national priority species. Sustainable management of peatland will contribute to Scotland’s climate goals and mitigate against biodiversity decline. In this episode of the Thrill of the Hill series the Farm Advisory Service (FAS) talks to the project coordinator for the Ayrshire Coalfield Environment Initiative, Daisy Whytock about a range of topics and issues, conflicts between woodlands and peatland, the importance of peatland as a carbon sink, responsible peatland utilisation and the role of peatland for pollinators.

Learn about how that dark sense of humor can mean a higher IQ, the origin of the word “orange,” and how the arctic produces “zombie fires.” A Dark Sense of Humor May Mean You Have a High IQ by Joanie Faletto  Willinger, U., Hergovich, A., Schmoeger, M., Deckert, M., Stoettner, S., Bunda, I., Witting, A., Seidler, M., Moser, R., Kacena, S., Jaeckle, D., Loader, B., Mueller, C., & Auff, E. (2017). Cognitive and emotional demands of black humour processing: the role of intelligence, aggressiveness and mood. Cognitive Processing, 18(2), 159–167. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-016-0789-y ‌Berman, R. (2017, March 10). You Can Stop Apologizing for Your Sick Sense of Humor. Big Think; Big Think. https://bigthink.com/robby-berman/you-can-stop-apologizing-for-your-dark-sense-of-humor Which "Orange" Came First: the Color or the Fruit? By Reuben Westmaas Which came first - orange the colour or orange the fruit? | Independent. (2020). The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/which-came-first-orange-colour-or-orange-fruit-a6879541.html Guardian Staff. (2010, March 30). Notes and queries: Which came first, orange the colour or orange the fruit? When Blur were better than Oasis. The Guardian; The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2010/mar/31/origin-of-the-orange Which Came First: Orange the Color or Orange the Fruit? (2012, February 8). Mentalfloss.Com. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/29942/which-came-first-orange-color-or-orange-fruit Which came first - orange the colour or orange the fruit? Do the two concepts share the same word in all languages? | Notes and Queries | guardian.co.uk. (2011). Theguardian.Com. https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-4756,00.html Arctic wildfires can turn into "zombie fires" by Steffie Drucker ‘Zombie fires’ are erupting in Alaska and likely Siberia, signaling severe Arctic fire season may lie ahead. (2020, May 28). The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/05/28/zombie-fires-burning-arctic-siberia/ Cormier, Z. (2019). Why the Arctic is smouldering. Bbc.Com. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190822-why-is-the-arctic-on-fire ‌Tundra Topography and Soil. (2001). Alaska’s Tundra and Wildlife - Alaska Wildlife Curriculum Teacher’s Guide. Alaska Department of Fish and Game. http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static-sf/statewide/aquatic_ed/AWC%20ACTIVITIES/TUNDRA%20&%20WILDLIFE/BACKGROUND%20INFORMATION/Tundra%20II_Topography%20and%20Soil%20Facts.pdf Subscribe to Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Ashley Hamer and Natalia Reagan (filling in for Cody Gough). You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://www.amazon.com/Curiosity-com-Curiosity-Daily-from/dp/B07CP17DJY See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

Show Notes: This week we talked eels, manatees, wildfires and Indigenous epistemologies. Please remember to rate, review and subscribe wherever you are listening to this podcast. For more information on things mentioned in the episode, or Indigenous sovereignty and its intersections with climate change more broadly, check out the links below. If you have questions you can find us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or at rebalancingact.ca! Learn more about American Eels here: https://www.ontario.ca/page/american-eel Check out Indigenous fire management practices: https://grist.org/justice/with-wildfires-on-the-rise-indigenous-fire-management-is-poised-to-make-a-comeback/ Natural Climate Solutions and the study which finds they can contribute over ⅓ of the carbon reduction needed: https://www.pnas.org/content/114/44/11645 The study that assessed the effectiveness of Indigenous lead conservation as compared to government managed conservation: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901119301042 Grasslands and restoration: https://thenarwhal.ca/carbon-cache-grasslands/?fbclid=IwAR0LErwj0htB1o12dwHBFkOJIwZbbyhNihhIdGKlxvYSBduBboZ4I2C0_as Peatlands and carbon sequestration: https://thenarwhal.ca/ring-of-fire-ontario-peatlands-carbon-climate/ Australian fire setting birds: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7843527/The-native-Australian-bird-making-bushfire-crisis-worse-spreading-flames.html The 2014 Tsilhqot'in Nation v British Columbia case: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsilhqot%27in_Nation_v_British_Columbia Exciting coral reef news: https://www.wtsp.com/article/tech/science/restoring-coral-reef-florida-keys/67-e4e1c076-13a7-4733-8ae3-7a41ccfd98eb Reefs and health science reserach: https://coral.org/coral-reefs-101/why-care-about-reefs/medicine/ Mote Marine (the home of Hugh and Buffet): https://mote.org Indigenous knowledge and a new role for it in statistical modelling: https://medium.com/ubcscience/stats-660805dd930a Indigenous Guardian programs as an example of Indigenous land management: https://landneedsguardians.ca/latest/guardians-partner-on-climate-and-wildlife-research Funny video on land “acknowledgements”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlG17C19nYo&t=1s

Information talked about on this episode was obtained from:  SmithsonianMag.com, NationalZoo.SI.edu, EarthCam.com, CoralCityCamera.com, Vancouver Aquarium, CanadianPolarBearHabitat.com, BBC.com/news/science, IUCN.org, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), HWW.ca, ScienceDirect.com, UNenvironment.org/news, ScottishLegal.com, Jstor.org/stable, Global News, Wikipedia.org, Chilternsaonb.org, The Gurardian, WeForum.org, SingularityHub.com

After a wet spring and a dry summer and now thunderstorms, Anna Hill finds out how these challenging conditions have impacted on this year's wheat yields. With farmer Tom Bradshaw. A charity are arguing that planting millions of trees will be pointless unless more is done to improve and protect peatlands. Some dairy farmers in England are saying that a government's scheme to provide them with financial help is too rigid and fails to help more than a handful of businesses. A livestock buyer for a major supermarket is the focus of today's jobs that sit adjacent to agriculture. Producer: Toby Field

COVID-19 and scientific confusion — What we don’t know and why we don’t know it. Vast boreal peatlands may dry up and burn in a warming climate. A giant sloth graveyard shows how these enormous animals died - and lived. Your brain on terror - a writer faces the science behind her fears

With the battle against climate change never far from many of our minds this week, 6 years on from when Brainwaves first visited, Pennie Latin returns to the Flow Country in Caithness and Sutherland to remind us how that much-maligned, but globally rare, feature of the Scottish landscape: the peat bog might be crucial as a carbon sink. Because it is now deemed so precious a group called ‘ The Peatlands Partnership’ has been formed with the aim of applying to get the Flow Country designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If it successful then the area will rank alongside the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef as one of the most important natural sites in the world but, could this precious landscape itself be in danger of the effects of climate change? We'll be discovering how new research hopes to find out.

There's a ticking time bomb under the rain forest deep in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There's a massive peat bog that stores more than 30 billion tons of carbon. It would spell disaster if that amount of CO2 were released into the atmosphere. Activists say little is being done by the government to protect the peatlands.

One year after the Brumadinho dam collapse in Brazil that killed 270 people and wreaked havoc on the environment, we talk about how to avoid similar tragedies in the future. We also hear how development is pitted against our environment in India's metropolis Mumbai and visit peatlands in the Democratic Republic of Congo that store massive amounts of CO2.

In this episode, we’ll be learning about a kind of wheat ducks love, not to eat but to hang out. Then we’re off to another duck playground - peatlands, peatlands that need preserving. Why? Because they’re great at keeping vast amounts of biomass from wreaking havoc on our climate. Winter wheat is a hardy strain of grain that can survive even a -40 winter as it hibernates under a blanket of warming snow. Warming snow? You’ll see. In the spring when other crops are barely in the ground, if they’re lucky, winter wheat is showing off its first leaves and then it grows like mad and attracts ducks looking for a nesting ground.   DUC has been working to raise the profile/ dispel myths around winter wheat for years. They’ve been helping understand why is winter wheat such a duck magnet and why should we should care. To find out more about winter wheat, last April I talked to Lee Moats, a farmer in Riceton, Saskatchewan. We thought, with spring coming on it would be a good time to revisit that conversation. Peatlands are the unsung heroes of climate change. Beneath their soggy, sodden surfaces are millions upon millions of metric tons of carbon in the shape of plant matter. The cold temperatures and oxygen-starved waters of the bogs sequester all that carbon. That’s good because released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, it would crank up the global thermostat like a chilblained grandad on a cold winter’s night. I found a champion of these shy climate superheroes in Pascal Badiou a research scientist for Ducks Unlimited Canada’s Institute for Wetland and Waterfowl Research. 

Blue carbon and peatlands and the role they play at climate talks

The Danish government wants to put the country back at the forefront of fighting climate change. The country was a pioneer in developing commercial wind power, but this time farming, not energy is in the spotlight. A Danish farmer is starting a project, which if applied nationally, could offset the entire emissions of the capital, Copenhagen.

Here at Something Wild we love all things wild (even blackflies !) but sometimes it can be helpful to look beyond a single species and consider how many species interact within a given environment. In our periodic series, New Hampshire’s Wild Neighborhoods, we endeavor to do just that and this time we’re looking at peatlands. Our Sherpa today is Ron Davis, a retired professor of ecology, limnology and wetland science from the University of Maine, Orono. Peatlands, as you might have guessed are classified by the mat of peat at its heart. Peat is formed from dead organic matter (leaves, branches, dead bugs, etc.), but that organic matter is only partly decomposed because there is no oxygen in the mat, or the water that you often find in such locations. The two most prominent kinds of peatlands in New Hampshire are bogs and fens. Davis explains that, “bogs are rather infertile environments. The plants that grow in them barely hold on and eke out an existence and grow very, very slowly.”

While largely unfamiliar to many, peatlands perform crucial funcions in Earth's carbon and water cycles.  For many centuries we have been draining peatlands to free up land for commodity agriculture, destroying these important living systems.  We now are growing aware of the effects of draining peatlands, and some folks are exploring ways to preserve and restore these wet ecologies while still being able to produce and harvest biomass and other crops from these areas.  This sort of peatland agriculture is called paludiculture. In part 4 of this 5 part series at the Global Landscapes Forum in Bonn, Germany, we will hear John D. Liu interview 3 individuals who are working to change agriculture, finance, and policy so that they work to restore, rather than drain peatlands. John D. Liu is Ecosystem Ambassador for Commonland Foundation and Visiting Research Fellow at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences.  He also catalyzed the Ecosystem Restoration Camps movement.  You can find his films and research papers at  Jans Joosten, one of the world's foremost experts on peatlands, is head of the Department of Peatland Studies and Paleoecology of Greifswald University.  ()  He will describe how peatlands function and some of the consequences of draining them.  Through his research, writing, and policy advising he has helped to protect and restore peatlands all over the world. Annawati van Paddenburg is Head of Sustainable Landscapes at the Investment and Policy Solutions Division of the Global Green Growth Initiative. ()  With member countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia-Pacific, she has worked on climate and food security and sustainable growth in forest, agriculture, coastal, and marine areas.  Growing up in rural Indonesia, she is motivated by her observations of the destructive effects of business on the pristine landscapes of her childhood.  The Indonesian government has recently determined to rewet their drained peatlands, and she is working with them to develop commodity production business models that support both local communities and peatland ecologies. Aldert van Weeren is a cattail farmer. () After rewetting and restoring peatland areas, intending to sustainably harvest cattails for housing insulation, he found that he had legally created nature reserves and was not allowed to harvest from them.  He and others have been working to change these policies so that folks like him can restore and preserve peatland function while producing a nontoxic, renewable source of housing insulation. Michael DiGiorgio recorded the banjo-bird jams I'm using in the intro and ending.  You can find his amazing nature art at  .  Mike says that if you'd like to buy the album of his nature-banjo jams, you can find his email on his website and he can mail you a CD.    

PEDRO SERRANO has published five collections of poems. He co-edited and co-translated the groundbreaking anthology The Lamb Generation which brought together translations of 30 contemporary British poets in 2000. He has also translated Shakespeare’s King John into Spanish. His collection Peatlands was published by Arc Publishing in 2014 in Anna Crowe’s translation. * ANNA CROWE is a poet, translator and co-founder and former Artistic Director of StAnza, Scotland’s International Poetry Festival. Her Mariscat collection, Figure in a Landscape, won the Callum Macdonald Memorial Award and was a PBS Choice. Her latest book of translations is Peatlands (Arc 2014) by Pedro Serrano.

Tracey Logan investigates the latest science news. Roland Pease reports on recent warnings that we're heading for one of the most severe El Ninos on record which could distort weather patterns around the world. Spongey sphagnum moss provides a protective layer to peat lands but in the bogs of the Peak District industrial and urban air pollution has killed nearly all the moss. This means the peat lands can erode releasing tonnes of ancient carbon. Tracey talks to horticultural ecologist, Neal Wright about his technique for creating tiny gel beads of sphagnum moss to spray on the moors to help restore their peat lands back to health. Marnie Chesterton talks to John Butterworth about his book, 'Smashing Physics' which is another short-listed entry for the Royal Society Winton book prize. He talks about the highs and lows of the discovery of the Higgs Boson and why CERN might soon be creating dark matter. Tracey talks to Toby Shannon, from the Institute of Physics about the International Year of Light citizen science project to measure air pollution using an iPhone. Details on how to take part here: http://ispex-eu.org/.

Peatland systems are common in the northern boreal latitudes where cool moist climatic conditions are conducive to their development. Under certain hydrological conditions peatland environments can also develop in the Rocky Mountains, including many in the Bighorn Mountains. Some Sheridan area residents may not be aware that the Bighorns have an assortment of unique and ecologically important peatland fens. Moreover, these peatland systems have been little studied even though they harbor a number of rare plant and animal species, and are hydrologically connected to Sheridan area water supplies. Peatland systems are also interesting because they record their own histories through the accumulation of macrofossils in the peat, and can inform us about past environments and climates. This lecture will discuss the ecology of these hidden jewels and Zier’s efforts to understand their developmental histories. He will talk about the results of a 2010 peatland survey conducted on the Bighorn National Forest and exchange ideas on future research potential.

Tropical peat swamp forests in Indonesia are highly threatened ecosystems. As a result of economic development during the past two decades, they have been subjected to intensive logging, drainage and conversion to plantation estates, especially for oil palm. The Indonesian peatlands are one of the largest near-surface reserves of terrestrial organic carbon. However, ongoing rapid peat decomposition due to drainage and attendant recurrent fires have recently caused the release of huge amounts of this carbon into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. If these large emissions from degrading peatlands are taken into account, Indonesia is one of the largest emitters of CO2 worldwide. Within the context of the ongoing discussions concerning climate change, the importance of peatlands as carbon stores is increasingly recognised by the public, accompanied by a demand for conservation and restoration. Therefore, this thesis utilises innovative geospatial 3D modelling and remote sensing techniques to study the Indonesian peatlands with the overall aim of global climate change mitigation. Previous estimates of the total amount of carbon stored in the Indonesian peatlands could be improved by applying 3D modelling based on a combined analysis of satellite imagery and in situ peat thickness measurements. At least 55±10 Gt of carbon are stored in Indonesia’s peatlands. With this huge carbon storage and the current rate of degradation, the tropical peatlands of Indonesia have the power to negatively influence the global climate. Large-scale peatland restoration is needed to prevent further greenhouse gas emissions. This thesis shows that successful rewetting of a 590 km² large area of drained peat swamp forest could result in mitigated emissions of 1.4-1.6 Mt CO2 yearly, and can be achieved with relatively little effort and at low costs. Multitemporal radar satellite imagery proved to be capable of monitoring the effect of hydrological restoration measures on peat soil moisture and groundwater levels in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Satellite remote sensing allows continuous large-scale tropical peatland monitoring, compared to only punctual, temporally limited field measurements. This is particularly important for initiatives aiming at carbon trading on the voluntary carbon market or under the REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) mechanism, which both constitute significant financing schemes for conservation and rehabilitation of Indonesia’s peatlands.