Our annual conference series provides a unique convening function for the UK peatland community which celebrates these unique and precious habitats. We bring together everyone with an interest in peatlands, from land managers to policy makers and scientists to restoration practitioners, to share their knowledge, enthusiasm and experience and seek solutions to the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
This year’s conference takes us to the Cairngorms of Scotland and the Macdonald Aviemore Resort, where we’ll be exploring the theme ‘Peatlands, People and Nature’. We’ll showcase the opportunities that peatland restoration and healthy peatlands present in transitioning to a green economy, and their role as nature-based solutions which support people and biodiversity. We’ll also report on the findings from our forthcoming 5 Year Strategy Report, which will assess how far we’ve come and how far is still to go in our mission to restore and sustainably manage the UK’s peatlands.
To make our conferences as inclusive and accessible as we can, the conference will be delivered as a hybrid event, with remote attendance available for our plenary sessions on Tuesday 17 September. If you are attending in person and have any additional needs, do let us know by emailing info@iucn.org.uk and we will do our best to accommodate these.
What to expect
- Around 400 delegates at this year’s hybrid event. In-person delegates will be able to join the entire event or individual days. Online delegates will be able to join our plenary sessions on Tuesday 17 September only.
- Exhibition and networking opportunities at our evening poster session and meal on Tuesday 17 September, our evening conference dinner on Wednesday 18 September and throughout the event.
- Visits to locally important peatland sites on Wednesday 18 September, including options from a range of peatland habitats, and experience of different management and restoration techniques first-hand in a beautiful landscape.
- Deep-dives into a range of themed topics at our workshops and knowledge sharing sessions on Thursday 19 September.
Programme outline
Tuesday 17 September
- Plenary sessions introducing the work of the Peatland Programme, our 5 Year Strategy Report and a panel discussion with representatives from each of the four devolved nations of the UK. We’ll also feature community engagement through creative and citizen science approaches such as our Eyes on the Bog monitoring methodology, celebrate the work of our local partners and explore the opportunities for developing a green economy provided by peatlands.
- Evening meal and poster session featuring contributions from across the peatland community alongside our dedicated exhibition space for partners and sponsors.
Wednesday 18 September
- Choose from a variety of field trip options to local peatland sites, featuring different peatland habitats, management and restoration techniques and introducing a range of organisations involved in peatland management. Lunch and transport will be provided from the main conference venue and delegates will be required to select field trips in advance on a first come, first served basis.
- Conference dinner and evening entertainment.
Thursday 19 September
- Choose one morning and one afternoon workshop or knowledge sharing session from a range of themes. Delegates will be required to select sessions in advance on a first come, first served basis.
- Topics this year will include:
- Habitat condition assessment
- Peatlands and trees
- Community benefits
- Translational palaeoecology
- Measurement, Reporting and Verification for the Peatland Code
- Peatlands and fire
- Development on peatlands
- Meaning and connection through creative approaches
- Closing plenary.
Booking
Tickets will be released in April and announced on our website and social media channels. Field visits and workshops/knowledge sharing sessions must be booked in advance of the conference on a first come, first served basis. Once you have purchased your ticket, you will be informed as soon as the full programme of field visits and workshops/knowledge sharing sessions is available and open for bookings.
Travel and accommodation
Find out more about travel to and accommodation in Aviemore.
Sponsorship and exhibition space
The Peatland Programme is a non-profit organisation and our conferences are only possible thanks to the support of our dedicated partners and sponsors. This year’s venue features extensive exhibition space in the Osprey Arena, and we are currently seeking sponsors to showcase their work by supporting the conference financially. If you are interested in supporting us this year, please see our sponsorship brochure or contact info@iucn.org.uk.
Further information
Further announcements will be available on our website, X and LinkedIn channels, and in our quarterly newsletters. If you have any questions about our conference, or are interested in contributing to and/or sponsoring the event, please contact info@iucn.org.uk.
