For Peat's Sake

Peat is composed of organic matter that has broken down in part but not fully. This kind of matter is found in bogs, marshes and wetlands. Sphagnum mosses are a key part of the creation of peat because they help to maintain conditions that ensure that the material that makes peat doesn’t decay too fast. And interestingly, sphagnum mosses do not do this by themselves, just as no man is an island no plant is too. Various organisms help sphagnum to flourish and thus do its job in peatlands.

On a simple level, peat harvesting affects the ecosystem of peatlands. There are a multitude of different relationships between organisms that can be disrupted by the removal of peat from their habitat. On a wider scale, disturbing or damaging peatlands is a little bit like opening Pandora’s Box because it can create carbon emissions that affect the environment. When left alone, peatlands actually store large amounts of carbon helping to keep our planet in balance.

To counter these effects, measures have come in that will reduce the horticultural use of peat and alternatives like coconut coir are increasing in popularity making it likely that things will improve im the future.

Look at our short guide to coconut coir if you want to read more about a popular peat alternative.