International Peat Society

1
International Peat Society

• an international, non-governmental
• and non-profit organization
• of scientific, industrial and regulatory
  stakeholders
• for the wise use of peatlands and peat -

2
Vision and Mission

• The International Peat Society (IPS) isa non
  governmental, non-profit organization.
• Vision
• Peatlands are managed for the benefit
• of mankind, now and in the future.
• Mission
• The International Peat Society is an
  international organization ofscientific,
  industrial and regulatory stakeholders. It is
  dedicated to fostering the advancement, exchange
  and communication of scientific, technical and
  social knowledge and understandingfor the wise
  use of peatlands and peat.

3
Strategic Goals

• Responsibility to Members - to provide
  communication, education, research support and
  advocacy in our membersbusiness, scientific and
  environmental matters
• Government - to enhance relationships with
  governmental, inter-governmental, and
  international organizations to influence matters
  affecting peatlands and the use of peat and
  peatlands.
• Research and Development - to promote research
  into peatlands, peat and their utilization and
  disseminate the information obtained
• Communications and Public Relations - to
  communicate pro-actively with stakeholders within
  the membership and beyond
• Community Responsibility - to provide the general
  public with information on the role of peatlands
  and peat in environment and economy, and their
  Wise Use
• Partnerships - to promote partnerships in the
  interests of peat and peatlands
• Finance - to obtain sufficient resources to
  achieve the IPS objectives

4
Organisation
5
Executive Board

• President Markku Mäkelä, Finland
• 1st Vice President Donal Clarke, Ireland
• 2nd Vice PresidentTomasz Brandyk, Poland

• Ordinary Board members
• Håkan Bjur, Sweden
• Dmitriy Gogin, Russia
• Gerry Hood, Canada
• Valerijs Kozlovs, Latvia
• Jack Rieley, United Kingdom
• Jutta Zeitz, Germany
• Honorary President
• R. A. Robertson, United Kingdom

Front row Markku Mäkelä (middle), Donal Clarke
(right), Tomasz Brandyk (left) Back row (from
right to left) Gerry Hood, Valerijs Kozlovs,
Håkan Bjur, Jutta Zeitz, Jack Rieley, Jaakko
Silpola (General Secratary)
6
Membership

• about 1,300 members from 37 countries
• platform to benefit both science and industry
• 18 National Committees in Europe, 2 in North
  America and 1 in South-East Asia
• largest membership base in Finland and Germany
• major work carried out by 8 Commissions open to
  all members
• financed by annual contributions from National
  Committees and industrial organisations

7
Membership Benefits

• strong cooperation with other players of the same
  field
• communication and information exchange with
  experts on peat and peatlands from both science
  and industry
• latest news and background knowledge available
  via IPS publications
• access to special events, publications,
  statistics etc.
• influencing decision makers and the public within
  a broader scope
• building international and local networks

8
Tools and Projects

• book Wise Use of Mires and Peatlands
• DVD Wise Use of Peatlands
• Peatlands International twice annually,printed
  magazine
• monthly e-mail newsletter Peat News
• congresses, symposia and workshops
• proceedings and other publications
• collection and distribution of statistics
• Peat Dictionary
• ad hoc campaigns

9
Events 2000 - 2008

• International Peat Congresses (since 1954)
• 2000 Quebec, Canada Sustaining our Peatlands
• 2004 Tampere, Finland Wise Use of Peatlands
• 2008 Tullamore, Ireland After Wise Use - The
  Future of Peatlands
• 2012 Stockholm, Sweden Peatlands in Balance
• Peat in Horticulture Symposia
• 2002 Pärnu, Estonia Quality and Environmental
  Challenges
• 2003 Amsterdam, the Netherlands Additives in
  Growing Media
• 2005 Angers, France Wise Use of Peat in
  Horticulture in cooperation with the
  International Society for Horticultural Science
  (ISHS)
• 2006 Amsterdam, the Netherlands Peat in the
  Stranglehold of Interest Groups
• Additionally regular conferences, workshops,
  excursions and other events of
• Commissions and National Committees

10
IPS Secretariat

• Tasks
• administration
• information centre for members and non-members
• library of IPS and related publications
• organisation of IPS conferences, meetings and
  excursions
• project work

• Staff
• Mr. Jaakko Silpola, M.Sc. Agr. For.
• Secretary General
• e-mail jaakko.silpola_at_peatsociety.org
• Ms. Susann Warnecke, Dipl. Kfm. (FH)
• Communications Manager
• e-mail susann.warnecke_at_peatsociety.org

• Contact details
• IPS Secretariat
• Vapaudenkatu 12
• FIN-40100 Jyväskylä, Finland
• phone [phone]
• fax [phone]
• web www.peatsociety.org