Peat News 4/2014

PEAT NEWS Newsletter for members and friends of the International Peat Society No 4/2014, 23 May 2014 The IPS is an organisation of corporate and individual members dedicated to the responsible management and Wise Use of peatlands and peat. It promotes the gathering, exchange and communication of knowledge and experience. The Society serves all those interested in peat and peatlands including the scientific, industrial and commercial, and regulatory communities. It respects the economic, social and environmental values of the peatland resource. Currently the IPS has more than 1,500 individual and institutional members from 44 countries. Candidates for the IPS Executive Board This year’s 28 August is the day of elections for the IPS Executive Board’s next work period of 2014-2018. Three of the six ordinary members’ seats will be vacant and it will be up to the National Committee’s representatives to decide on successors that offer most benefit and valuable work input for the IPS and its members. By the submission deadline, the IPS Secretariat has received nominations for the following persons: - Moritz Böcking, Germany (German Peat Society (DGMT); Klasmann-Deilmann GmbH) Erki Niitlaan, Estonia (Estonian Peat Association; Steiger Engineering LLC) Claes Rülcker, Sweden (Swedish Peat Producers Association; Swedish Peat Research Foundation) Liliya Stepchenko, Ukraine (Dnepropetrovsk Agricultural University) (valid if membership fees 2012-2013 are paid before the commencement of the Annual Assembly on 28 August 2014) Lech Szajdak, Poland (Polish Academy of Sciences) The invitations for the Annual Assembly will be sent out by post within the next few weeks to the Chairs and Secretaries of our National Committees, who send their national representatives to the Assembly. Each country (NC) that has paid its full membership fees and is present in Riga is allowed to vote. Be sure to have your voice heard when deciding on the future of the IPS! More info: www.peatsociety.org/about-us/national-committees. Come with us to Riga in August! The call for papers for the International Symposium on Peat and Technology in Riga, 25 - 29 August 2014, is out now. You are welcome to write your abstract for a presentation at this important event until 1 July 2014. The conference offers sessions on the following topics, and a wide selection of workshops and excursions on all kind of peat and peatland matters. This is surely the most important event of the year for all IPS members. Sessions: • • • • • • • • • • Peatland survey, Chairman: Mr. Erki Niitlaan Peatland restoration in practice, Chairman: Prof. Lars Lundin Peat harvesting technologies, Chairman: Mr. Giedrius Kavaliauskas Social, environmental and economical viewpoints in the production and use of energy peat, Chairman: Mr. Jaakko Silpola Horticultural peat and its effective use, Chairman: Mr. Gerald Schmilewski Planning and construction of peat production areas, Chairman: Mr. Donal Clarke Horticultural peat: equipment for its processing, Chairman: Mr. Renārs Skudra Responsible peat production and use, Chairman: Mr. Hein Boon IT solutions and communication in the peat industry (covering weather, stock pile measurement, GPS etc), Chairman: Mr. Artūrs Kažmers Workshops: • IPS Commission IX - Tropical Peatlands: workshop about vision and details of the scientific programme for IPC15 in Kuching in 2016 (Lulie Melling) • IPS Commission II - Utilisation of Peat and Peatlands for Horticulture, Energy and Other Economic Purposes: meeting (Gerald Schmilewski) International Peat Society Kauppakatu 19 D 31, FIN-40100 Jyväskylä www.peatsociety.org hannu.salo (at) peatsociety.org susann.warnecke (at) peatsociety.org www.facebook.com/peatsociety mobile: +358 40 056 7538 mobile: +358 40 418 4075 linkd.in/peatsociety