Peatlands are found in over 180 countries worldwide and there are a number of different organisations around the world who are involved in peatland conservation and sustainable management.
There are two major global partnerships for peatlands:
- The Global Peatlands Initiative (GPI) is a multi-partner United Nations Environment Programme initiative launched at the Global Landscapes Forum in Marrakesh in 2016. Partners to the (GPI) will work together within their respective areas of expertise to improve the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of peatlands.
- The International Mire Conservation Group (IMCG) was established in 1984 to internationally promote, encourage and, where appropriate, co-ordinate the conservation of mires and related ecosystems.
There are also many regional and national projects and programmes around the world engaged in peatland conservation, management, policy and research. Also see the Peatland Projects Map. Please note this list is not exhaustive or exclusive and is open to additions; email info@iucn.org.uk to enquire about being added to this list.
United Kingdom:
Research
The UK’s research institutions have a long history and vast expertise in studying peatlands. The Peatland Programme aims to facilitate active exchange between the research community and policy and practice.
Below is a list of major UK research consortia:
Current research:
- Bangor Wetlands Group
- British Ecological Society’s Peatlands Research Special Interest Group
- British Geological Survey
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH)
- Flow Country Research Hub
- Forest Research
- iCASP
- Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) UK Upland Habitats
- Knowledge for Wildfire: Improving Management of UK Wildfire through Knowledge Exchange
- LOCATE (Land Ocean Carbon Transfer)
- Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
- Peatland ESUK: Blanket Bog Management and Ecosystem Services in the UK
- Scotland’s National Peatland Plan Research and Monitoring Group
- Scotland’s Soils
- University of East London
- University of Leeds: Water @ Leeds
- University of Stirling
- Valuing Nature Network
- VNP - Peatland tipping points.
Past research:
- Defra: Ecosystem Services of Peat (Phase I)
- FIRES: Interdisciplinary Research on Ecosystem Services: Fire and Climate Change in UK Moorlands and Heaths
- PEATBOG: Manchester Metropolitan University
- QUEST: Climate Change and Uplands
- RECIPE: Reconciling Commercial Exploitation of Peat with Biodiversity in Peatland Ecosystems (Macaulay Land Research Institute)
- RELU: Rural Economy and Land Use Programme
- WISE Peatland Choices.
Practice
Please find below a list of the major peatland restoration programmes in the UK, many of which also undertake monitoring and research work:
- Border Mires Restoration Projects (Northumberland Wildlife Trust)
- Cumbria BogLIFE (Natural England)
- Exmoor Mires Partnership
- Flows to the Future
- Great Fen Project
- Humberhead Peatlands BogLIFE (Natural England)
- Manchester Mosses (Lancashire Wildlife Trust)
- Meres and Mosses Partnership (Shropshire Wildlife Trust)
- Moors for the Future Partnership
- North Pennines AONB Partnership: Peatland Programme
- Peatland ACTION (Scottish Natural Heritage)
- Pumlumon Project (Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust)
- SCaMP (United Utilities)
- Scotland’s Moorland Forum
- The Heather Trust
- The Moorland Association
- Yorkshire Peat Partnership (Yorkshire Wildlife Trust).
Europe:
Research
- Greifswald University, partner in the Griefswald Mire Centre (Germany)
- Natural Resources Institute Finland.
Practice
- Michael Succouw Foundation, partner in the Griefswald Mire Centre (Germany)
- Dutch-Irish bog Conservation Campaign.
Policy
- ClimaEast (Russia and Eastern Countries)
- FAO: Mitigation of Climate Change in Agriculture (MICCA) Programme
- GeoNetwork
- Natura 2000 Network
- Pole-Relais Toubieres (France)
- DUENE, partner in the Griefswald Mire Centre (Germany)
Asia:
Practice
Policy
- Sustainable Management of Peatland Forests in South-East Asia
- Wetlands International: Indonesia
- Wetlands International: Malaysia.
