INTERNATIONAL MIRE NEWSLETTER CONSERVATION GROUP issue 2010/2, June 2010 The International Mire Conservation Group (IMCG) is an international network of specialists having a particular interest in mire and peatland conservation. The network encompasses a wide spectrum of expertise and interests, from research scientists to consultants, government agency specialists to peatland site managers. It operates largely through e-mail and newsletters, and holds regular workshops and symposia. For more information: consult the IMCG Website: http://www.imcg.net IMCG has a Main Board of currently 15 people from various parts of the world that has to take decisions between congresses. Of these 15 an elected 5 constitute the IMCG Executive Committee that handles day-to-day affairs. The Executive Committee consists of a Chairman (Jennie Whinam), a Secretary General (Hans Joosten), a Treasurer (Francis Müller), and 2 additional members (Tatiana Minaeva, Piet-Louis Grundling). Seppo Eurola, Richard Lindsay, Viktor Masing (†), Rauno Ruuhijärvi, Hugo Sjörs (†), Michael Steiner and Tatiana Yurkovskaya have been awarded honorary membership of IMCG. Editorial This Newsletter comes to you from the High Tatra Mountains where the IMG Field Symposium is having one of its excursion points. The Field symposium, with a wide international participation, travels through Slovakia and Poland and will after a scientific Congress end with the IMCG General Assembly in Goniadz (Poland) on July 17th, 2010. This Newsletter contains several documents for that Assembly, including the agenda, the Biennial Report 2006 – 2009 (indeed this time covering a four year period) and a Progress Report with respect to the implementation of the IMCG Action Plan 2007 – 2010. The Field Symposium and General Assembly will also discuss the IMCG Action Plan 2010 - 2014 from which we hope to publish the outlines soon. One issue has already been concluded: the election of the Main Board. As there were exactly 15 candidates for 15 Main Board positions, no voting was necessary and all candidates are included in the new Main Board. The Main Board will now elect an Executive Committee from its midst, including a new IMCG chair. We will try and keep you informed on the progress and achievements of the Field Symposium by putting relevant documents and pictures online when technical possibilities underway allow. So keep an eye, as always, on the IMCG website: www.imcg.net This Newsletter furthermore brings you information on some little known peatland areas, such as the Arctic and the eastern Mediterranean region. Already well known are the peatlands of South Africa, thanks to our active SA chapter, and so you will again find a contribution on the peatland associated problems over there. The next Newsletter will report on the outcomes of the Field symposium and General Assembly and everything else that you will send to us considering the conservation and management of peatlands all over the world. We plan to produce the next Newsletter: in September 2010, so please provide your contributions before September 10th. For information, address changes or other things, contact us at the IMCG Secretariat. John Couwenberg & Hans Joosten, The IMCG Secretariat Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, Grimmerstr. 88, D-17487 Greifswald (Germany) fax: +49 3834 864114; e-mail: [email protected] Contents: Editorial ........................................................................................................................................................................ 1 A note from the Chair ................................................................................................................................................... 2 IMCG General Assembly Agenda ................................................................................................................................ 2 IMCG Biennial Report 2006 – 2009............................................................................................................................. 3 IMCG Action Plan 2007-2010 Progress Report ........................................................................................................... 5 IMCG Main Board...................................................................................................................................................... 10 Annual Report Mires and Peat.................................................................................................................................... 10 In Memoriam: Hugo Sjörs .......................................................................................................................................... 11 Arctic peatlands – to be recognized and well managed .............................................................................................. 13 Peatlands in the eastern Mediterranean region: some observations on present condition and conservation.............. 17 Can South Africa afford the demise of it natural carbon and water stores.................................................................. 20 Review of Peatland Voluntary Carbon Standard ........................................................................................................ 22 Regional News............................................................................................................................................................ 23 New and recent Journals/Newsletters/Books/Reports/Websites................................................................................. 26 IMCG Main Board...................................................................................................................................................... 29 UPCOMING EVENTS............................................................................................................................................... 30 _____________________ The IMCG bank acount : IBAN Number : FR76 4255 9000 8341 0200 1467 743; Bic Number (=swift) : CCOPFRPPXXX; Name : IMCG; Beçanson (France) ISSN 1682-1653 2 IMCG NEWSLETTER A note from the Chair This will be my last note as Chairperson, as a new ‘sustainable resource’. Peatlands and mires are likely Chairperson will be elected following the instalment to come under both increased direct pressure as a of the new IMCG Main Board. The last 6 years in consequence of climate change and also indirectly, as this role have been rewarding and challenging. I have countries look to fuel alternatives. We must be been fortunate to see some of the wonderful mires careful to ensure that actions that help offset one and peatlands in some unusual and beautiful places. It problem (fossil fuel depletion) do not create a has been exciting to meet and work with people who plethora of new problems (for peatland conservation). are committed to understanding and preserving mires We have been engaged in debate with IPS for some and peatlands, many of whom are working under time over a draft peatland management strategy that difficult conditions – I think especially of our friends they have prepared. IMCG Main Board members and colleagues in Georgia. have provided constructive criticism of both the IPS I am pleased that there has been an increase in approach to the underlying principles, as well as to membership and participation in countries outside of the document itself. While some of the issues raised Europe, while we continue to enjoy the advantages of by IMCG have been addressed, some of the the wealth of knowledge and literature on European fundamental issues remain and so IMCG has been and Scandanavian mires. unable to endorse the draft strategy. There will be One of the real challenges that IMCG has faced in debate on this issue during the upcoming IMCG field recent years has been the pressure to support the use symposium and General Assembly. of peat for purposes such as fuel, where the argument Thanks for the support I have received in my role as has centred around whether using peat is a more Chairperson. I will continue on the Main Board for sustainable approach than using other fossil fuels. one more term, trying to represent the peatland This has been extremely difficult, as it does not seem interests of Australasia and the sub-Antarctic. possible to accurately describe a resource that Best wishes, accumulates over a geological time frame as a Jennie IMCG General Assembly Agenda The final agenda of the IMCG General Assembly on 5. IMCG Action Plan 2010 – 2014 (see this July 17, 2010 in Goniądz (Poland) is as follows: Newsletter) 1. Opening and Welcome 6. IMCG Membership fee: The Main Board 2. Minutes of the General Assembly of 22 July proposes to continue to policy of a zero sum 2006 in Tammela, Finland (available in IMCG membership fee for the next two years Newsletter 2006/3) 7. Election of the Main Board with associated 3. Biennial report (2006 – 2010) on the state of elections of the Executive Committee members, affairs in the IMCG and on its policy including incl. chair, by the MB (see this Newsletter) an evaluation of the Action Plan 2006 – 2010 8. Conference resolutions (see this Newsletter). 9. Next venues 4. Balance sheet and the statement of profit and 10. Nomination of Honorary Life Members loss 11. Any Other Business REGISTER Please fill out the IMCG membership registration form. Surf to http://www.imcg.net or contact the secretariat. IMCG NEWSLETTER 3 IMCG Biennial Report 2006 – 2009 This is the fifth Biennial Report of the International 2009, see the minutes in IMCG Newsletter