Conference 2022

This information is also available in Welsh

Registration now open

The 12^th IUCN UK Peatland Programme conference will take place LIVE in Aberystwyth on 4^th - 6^th October 2022 in partnership with , New LIFE for Welsh Raised Bogs, Natural Resources Wales National Peatland Action Programme , Natural England's Marches Mosses BogLIFE and Pennine PeatLIFE.

Our annual conference series presents opportunities for policy makers, scientists, land managers and practitioners from different disciplines to share their knowledge, experience and enthusiasm of peatland conservation and management. The UK is a global leader in peatland restoration. This is only made possible by the enthusiasm and dedication of hundreds of individuals, whether paid staff or volunteers, NGO, Government, academic, business or private land managers. We would like to commend the whole peatland community and particularly the partnerships that drive this work, restoring and protecting peatlands for future generations.

This year’s conference will be held at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre, with field trips out to surrounding peatlands on the second day, and additional optional field trips on Friday the 7^th of October.

Preliminary Programme of Events
Tuesday 4^th
9:30am - Registration opens
11am-4:30pm - The days sessions, focusing on UK Government and Partnership delivery at scale, will commence until 4:30pm with breaks for lunch and refreshments.
6pm-10pm - Poster and exhibition space and hot fork buffet. If you wish to display a poster, please select this when booking your ticket and provide a brief abstract via the online form.

Wednesday 5^th
9am - (various end times) Choice of 7 full or half day field trips showcasing the delivery of restoration and conservation work across Wales. These trips will cover topics from hydrological management, forest to bog restoration, community engagement and more. A programme of the trips will be available soon and circulated to those who have booked with a link to select field trip preference. A packed lunch will be provided. Coaches will depart the Arts Centre at 9am.

6:30pm-10pm – Hot fork buffet at the Arts Centre with Twmpath band.

Thursday 6^th
9:30am - Welcome
10am-12pm and 1pm- 3pm – The days sessions focusing on a series of technical & policy discussions with a break for lunch. Choice of one morning and one afternoon session will cover a technical or policy topic in detail and the current challenges or knowledge gaps surrounding that topic. Discussion will then be opened to all atendees.

Session themes will include
Lowland raised bog restoration - learnings, challenges & legacy
Forest to bog restoration - policy & practice
Evidence and monitoring - core outcomes
Scaling-up delivery - capacity and skills
Lowland peatland hydrology (bogs and fens)
Moving away from trees or peat conversations
Ensuring restoration outcomes are sustained and maintained
Scaling-up delivery - is the conservation sector ready for private finance?

Concurrently there will be a presentation space which will be open to submissions from all corners of the peatland community (e.g. scientific, arts, practitioner, community engagement). Spaces are limited and the call for abstracts will open soon.

3:30pm - Conference close

Friday 7^th(optional)
This year there is also the opportunity for further optional field trips after the main conference has drawn to a close. These will be on the Friday 7th of October and there will be a choice of visiting one of the below with the option of drop off at a local train station (Shrewsbury or Port Talbot) or return to Aberystwyth.

Marches mosses BogLIFE Fenn’s and Whixall Mosses SAC reserve on the border with Shropshire
Launch event of LIFE Quake project at Crymlyn Bog near Swansea.

These trips will depart the Arts Centre at 9am and will both then have the option of drop off at a local train station (Shrewsbury or Port Talbot) or return to Aberystwyth. Places on these trips are limited.

Tickets

Tickets are now available on Eventbrite on a first come first served basis.

3 day Conference Ticket (including both evening events and meals) - Early Bird - £200
3 day Conference Ticket (including both evening events and meals) - Full Price – £260
3 day Conference Ticket (including both evening events and meals) – Student Discount - £160
Optional Field Trip (7th October) - £20
Networking Evening only (4^th October) - £25
Day Ticket - £100 (available after Early Bird closes, subject to availability)

Accommodation
Accommodation is not provided as part of the conference ticket. Limited accommodation in shared flats is available for you to book on the University Campus within 5 minutes walk of the venue. These are limited and will be available on a first come first served basis. These single rooms are part of flats with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities (2 toilets and 2 showers per 8 rooms). These flats will be shared with other conference delegates. Bed linen and towels are included. The cost is £30 pp per night for conference delegates and breakfast at the campus food hall can be included for an additional £6 per night. These can be booked using the link and promotional code received as part of the Eventbrite booking confirmation (or a separate email for those who booked before these details were confirmed).