Conference 2025: Day 1 plenaries

Conference welcome and introduction

Chaired by Jane Akerman, Programme Manager, IUCN UK Peatland Programme

Poetry reading

Angeline Kelly (King), poet and Education Officer, Seamus Heaney HomePlace

IUCN UK Peatland Programme welcome and updates 

Jane Akerman, Programme Manager, IUCN UK Peatland Programme

Keynote video addresses

Welcome address

Neelia Lloyd, Director, Natural Environment Policy Division, Marine and Fisheries Group, DAERA

Northern Ireland’s Peatland Strategy and current initiatives

Mark Preston, Head of Peatland Policy Team, Natural Environment Policy Division, Environment, Marine and Fisheries Group, DAERA                            

12pm – 1pm             Lunch (Clock Tower Suite)

Peatlands Without Borders: Why Global Action Matters

The UK peatland community is part of a growing number of nations calling for greater understanding, protection and restoration of peatland ecosystems. This session showcased the IUCN UK Peatland Programme’s role on the international stage, including the development of a Red List for peatland ecosystems and the IUCN World Conservation Congress, where we presented a motion to develop a unified global definition of peat and peatlands. Hear from our partners at the UN Environment Programme-led Global Peatlands Initiative, and explore peatlands around the globe with our Virtual Peatlands Pavilion and international speakers.

Chaired by Emma Hinchliffe, Director, IUCN UK Peatland Programme

Speakers 

Emma Hinchliffe, Director, IUCN UK Peatland Programme

Richard Lindsay, Peatland Consultant, Richard Lindsay Environment Arts and Letters

Dianna Kopansky, Global Peatlands Initiative Coordinator, United Nations Environment Programme

Marko Kohv, Research Fellow, University of Tartu

Māra Pakalne, LIFE PeatCarbon Project Manager, University of Latvia

Jim McAdam, Professor (Hon), Queen’s University Belfast

Water Connections: Bridging Science, Policy and Practice for a Resilient Future

This plenary session spotlighted the critical role of peatlands in the UK water environment, bringing together leading scientists with water industry and statutory representatives to explore how evidence-based research can inform and transform policy. Through rapid-fire lightning talks, experts presented headline findings - such as how well-managed peatlands can reduce flood peaks and improve water quality - followed by a chaired panel discussion delving into the policy implications. The session aimed to drive forward conversations around water security, peatland conservation, and the commitments needed from all four UK nations. It also explored opportunities for innovation, highlighted knowledge gaps, and considered how current policy frameworks support or hinder integrated water and peatland outcomes.

Chaired by Rob Stoneman, Director of Landscape Recovery, Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts and Co-chair, IUCN UK Peatland Programme

Speakers

Sanjeev Dasari, Research Associate, Ulster University

David Smith, Natural Resources Manager, South West Water

Raymond Flynn, Reader in the School of Natural and Built Environment, Queen’s University Belfast

Florence Renou-Wilson, Senior Lecturer and Principal Investigator, University College Dublin

Additional panel members

Jake White, Team Leader, National Peatland Action Programme, Natural Resources Wales

Katharine Birdsall, Senior Peatland Advisor, Environment Agency