Fédération des conservatoires
d'espaces naturels and the French Mire Resource Centre have organised,
in collaboration with Université de Franche-Comté,
Groupe d'étude des tourbières, the International
Peat Society and its French section 'Comité Français
des Tourbières et de la Tourbe', and the International
Mire Conservation Group, an International Conference named "
Peat and Peatlands 2007 - Peat in horticulture and the
rehabilitation of mires after peat extraction : which issues for
tomorrow?".
You can download the schedule
of communications and animations.
Dates
Place
Subjects
General schedule
Communications
About some practical aspects
Registration
DATES
8th to 11th October, 2007
PLACE
Participants will be hosted in
the holiday village of Lamoura,
Jura, France (more informations about lodging here).
This resort is located 55
km from Geneva (Switzerland) in a beautiful, scenic setting.
Lamoura belongs to the Regional
Natural Park of the Upper-Jura,
which is located 55 km from Geneva.
SUBJECTS
1 - The question of peat in horticulture and its markets,
considering the implications of peat extraction in French and
other European mires.
Peatlands are still exploited in France, but the country's supplies
come mainly from the Baltic countries and Ireland.
How to analyse the present situation, what are the possible evolutions,
how is it possible to act in order to improve the future situation?
Questions for this first part would be:
- Technical specificities of peat and growing media. What are
the uses of peat from different origins?
- What attributes of peat that make its use in horticulture
essential cannot be reproduced in alternatives?
- What research is needed to find out suitable alternatives
and who should fund it?
- What are the real costs and benefits of using peat and alternatives
in horticulture, i.e. considering not only commercial but also
environmental aspects and what those of alternatives?
- When peat is used, what are the acceptable ways of extraction?
What is the proportion of peat in marketed products? How is
the rehabilitation of the sites integrated in the process?
- Consequences of the possible orientations of the market for
growing media, in hobby and professional gardening, from economical
and nature conservation points of view, depending on voluntary
or forced choices (substitutes/ mixed products/pure peat; imported
vs. domestic products…
- The part of public bodies, i.e. as consumers of growing media
through their parks departments or as vectors of information
and public awareness.
2 - Possibilities of rehabilitation of mires after peat extraction
Questions for the 2nd part would be:
- What interest and what limits for such rehabilitations? What
does 'post-extraction restoration' restore or rehabilitate?
Wilderness, wetness, species? What other attributes and functions?
What does restoration work not restore, what are the timescales?
What about research needs?
- How to prepare an appropriate rehabilitation plan through
specific management during peat-cutting?
- May peat-cutting go on in France, from the perspective of
conservation / restoration / rehabilitation of peatlands?
- Case studies of peatlands of different sizes and characteristics,
where rehabilitation has been done, is in progress or is intended,
in different countries.
If the conference will focus on French cases (including Regional
case-studies and experiments in Franche-Comté and Jura
mountains), it will as well examine the international situation:
- for the markets and uses, because they are defined at least
at the European level
- for rehabilitation, because there is much experience of this
outside France.
After the conference, several effects are awaited, for each of
the studied sites as well as for general questions concerning
peat or rehabilitation :
- Production and dissemination of the proceedings of the meeting,
available on line in French and English
- Production and dissemination of resolutions possibly taken during
the conference, especially concerning the markets of growing media
- Long-term monitoring of the sites addressed by the conference,
with participation of the Scientific Board of the French Mire
Resource Centre; an assessment will have to be done during and
after rehabilitation actions.
- Contact kept between participants, through the French Mire Resource
Centre, so that networks on both main topics of the conference
can be maintained.
Further events may subsequently be organised concerning rehabilitation
after other types of severe damage to peatlands caused by drainage,
intensive agriculture, plantations of diverse crops or trees…
GENERAL
SCHEDULE
5-7th October : optionnal pre-conference excursion,
from Isère to Switzerland (departure : Grenoble, arrival
: Lamoura) ; details available here.
8th October
| 9h |
10h30 |
introductions |
| 10h30 |
12h30 |
plenary session: peat in horticulture |
| 14h |
15h30 |
plenary session: situation of site rehabilitations
|
| 15h30 |
18h |
practical cases |
9 octobre : one-day excursion (please choose your option,
details available
here)
10 octobre
| 8h30 |
10h30 |
plenary session: peat in horticulture |
| 10h30 |
12h30 |
peat in horticulture workshops: professional, hobby gardeners
and public bodies |
| 14h |
18h |
plenary session: rehabilitation |
11 octobre
| 8h30 |
10h30 |
plenary session: rehabilitation |
| 10h30 |
12h30 |
peat in horticulture : workshops' restitution
|
| 14h |
15h30 |
peat in horticulture : plenary session +
synthesis |
| 15h30 |
17h |
rehabilitation synthesis |
| 17h |
18h |
conclusions |
Some side events and entertainment will be offered during the
conference: i.e. a reception and a visit at the House of the Natural
Park; exhibitions or films.
Posters and other documents brought by participants will be displayed.
COMMUNICATIONS
|
|
|
Abstracts 
(305
ko)
|
ABOUT
SOME PRACTICAL ASPECTS
Accommodation and meals will be arranged at the premises of the
conference, in Lamoura holiday village. Bus shuttles will be organised,
from Geneva (train station at city centre and airport) to Lamoura,
with no extra cost.
Participants as well as accompanying persons will find at Lamoura
holiday village all conditions and entertainment for an enjoyable
stay.
REGISTRATION
Please use our provider's dedicated webpage.
