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Looking to learn more about the Canadian Peat Industry? 

Check out our best management practice guides and science-based factsheets for more detailed information. 

Part 1: Peatland Science and Bog Restoration
Part 2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions GHG from Peat Extraction
Part 3: The Veriflora Responsibly Managed Peatlands Certification
Part 4: Alternative Materials and the Wise Use of Peat
Spaghum Farming in Canada: State of Knowledge

Canadian Horticultural Peat 101
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Responsible Production
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Ecological Restoration
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Scientific Research
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The references below support the content shared across this website. Cited as footnotes throughout, these sources come from the science partnerships the Canadian Peat industry supports and values, providing insights into peatland restoration, biodiversity, hydrology, and carbon balance. Note that internal industry data sources are included where applicable (e.g., Ref#7); however, they are not publicly available. In addition to industry-supported research, this site also references independent, third-party sources not affiliated with the Canadian Peat industry, such as reports from the UNEP Global Peatlands Initiative.

  1. Allan, J. M., Guêné‐Nanchen, M., Rochefort, L., Douglas, D. J. T ., and Axmacher, J. C. (2023). Meta‐analysis reveals that enhanced practices accelerate vegetation recovery during peatland restoration. Restoration Ecology 32: e14015. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.14015. 

  2. Andersen, R., Pouliot, R., and Rochefort, L. 2013. Above-ground net primary production from vascular plants shifts the balance towards organic matter accumulation in restored Sphagnum bogs. Wetlands, 33: 811-821. 

  3. Blier-Langdeau, A., Guêné-Nanchen, M., Hugron, S., and Rochefort, L. 2022. The resistance and short-term resilience of a restored extracted peatland ecosystems post-fire: an opportunistic study after a wildfire. Restoration Ecology, 30(4). 

  4. Blok, C. 2016. Compost for soil application and compost for growing media. In Handbook for Composting and Compost Use in Organic Horticulture: BioGreenhouse COST Action FA 1105 (pp. 89-98). BioGreenhouse. 

  5. Blok, C., Eveleens, B., and van Winkel, A. 2021. Growing media for food and quality of life in the period 2020-2050. Acta Horticulturae, 1305, 341-355. 

  6. Boucher, C. 2023. Manuscript in preparation. 

  7. Breton, G., Guêné-Nanchen, M. and Rochefort, L. (2024). How ecologically similar is the vegetation of a restored Sphagnum-dominated peatland from that of a natural bog? A comparative approach with reference ecosystem. Acta Hortic. 1389, 361-368. 

  8. Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association. 2022. 2021 Statistics about Peatland Areas Managed for Horticultural Peat Extraction in Canada. CSPMA. 

  9. Carlile, W.R., Raviv, M., and Prasad, M. 2019. Chapter 8 - Organic Soilless Media Components, Soilless Culture (Second Edition), Elsevier, p. 303-378. 

  10. Caron, J., Price, J. and Rochefort, L. 2015. Physical Properties of Organic Soil: Adapting Mineral Soil Concepts to Horticultural Growing Media and Histosol Characterization. Vadose Zone Journal, 14: 1- 14 vzj2014.10.0146. 

  11. D' Astous, A., Poulin, M., Aubin, I., and Rochefort, L. 2013. Using functional diversity as an indicator of restoration success of a cut-over bog. Ecological Engineering, 61P: 519-526. 

  12. Desrochers, A. and Rochefort, L. 2021. Avian recolonization of unrestored and restored bogs in Eastern Canada. bioRxiv. 

  13. Dessureault P-L, Cô té H, Bouchard S, Faubert P . 2024. User manual. Greenhouse gas emissions calculator for the peat moss industry – Version 3.1. Chaire en éco-conseil, Département des sciences fondamentales, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, QC, Canada. 

  14. Doyon, M. and Bergeron, S. 2021. Economic Impact of Sectors that Rely on Horticultural Peat Moss in North America, Université Laval, Québec. 82 p. 

  15. Drapeau Picard, A.-P ., Mazerolle, M., Larrivée, M., and Rochefort, L. 2021. Impact of pool design on spider and dytiscid recolonization patterns in a restored fen. Restoration Ecology, 29(5). 

  16. Drewe, L. 2012., Coir in growing media: A sustainability assessment, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Government of UK. 

  17. Environment and Climate Change Canada. 2025. National Inventory Report 1990–2023: Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks in Canada. Available online at: canada.ca/ghg-inventory 

  18. González, E. and Rochefort, L. 2014. Drivers of success in 53 cutover bogs restored by a moss layer transfer technique. Ecological Engineering, 68: 279-290. 

  19. González Sargas, E., Rochefort, L., Boudreau, S., Hugron, S., and Poulin, M. 2013. Can indicator species predict restoration outcomes early in the monitoring process? A case study with peatlands. Ecological Indicators, 32: 232-238. 

  20. Graf MD, Rochefort L. A conceptual framework for ecosystem restoration applied to industrial peatlands. In: Bonn A, Allott T , Evans M, Joosten H, Stoneman R, eds. Peatland Restoration and Ecosystem Services: Science, Policy and Practice. Ecological Reviews. Cambridge University Press; 2016:192-212. 

  21. Granath, G., Moore, P . A., Lukenbach, M. C., & Waddington, J. M. (2016). Mitigating wildfire carbon loss in managed northern peatlands through restoration. Scientific reports, 6(1), 28498. 

  22. Gruda, N.S. 2019. Increasing Sustainability of Growing Media Constituents and Stand-Alone Substrates in Soilless Culture Systems. Agronomy. 9, 298. 

  23. Guêné-Nanchen, M., Hugron, S., and Rochefort, L. 2019. Harvesting surface vegetation does not impede self-recovery of Sphagnum peatlands. Restoration Ecology, 27(1): 178-188. 

  24. He, H., I. B. Strachan and N. T . Roulet (2025). "Simulating ecosystem carbon dioxide fluxes and their associated influencing factors for a restored peatland." Biogeosciences 22(5): 1355-1368. 

  25. Hugron S., Guêné-Nanchen, M., Roux, N., LeBlanc, M.-C., and Rochefort, L. 2020. Plant reintroduction in restored peatlands: 80% successfully transferred – Does the remaining 20% matters? Global Ecology and Conservation 22, June 2020. 

  26. Hugron, S., & Rochefort, L. (2018). Sphagnum mosses cultivated in outdoor nurseries yield efficient plant material for peatland restoration. Mires and Peat, 20(11), 1-6. 

  27. IPCC 2014, 2013 Supplement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories: Wetlands, Hiraishi, T ., Krug, T ., Tanabe, K., Srivastava, N., Baasansuren, J., Fukuda, M. and Troxler, T .G. (eds). Published: IPCC, Switzerland. 

  28. Ketcheson, S. and Price, J. 2011. The Impact of Peatland Restoration on the Site Hydrology of an Abandoned Block-Cut Bog. Wetlands, 31(6): 1263-1274. 

  29. Kull, A. & Kü ttim, M. 2024. Implementing circular economy principles in the use of horticultural peat products produced in Estonia and reducing related Greenhouse gas emissions in the LULUCF sector. Report from University of Tartu and Tallin University. Tallin. 74 p. 

  30. Loisel, J., Z. Yu, D. W. Beilman, P. Camill, J. Alm, M. J. Amesbury, D. Anderson, S. Andersson, C. Bochicchio, K. Barber, L. R. Belyea, J. Bunbury, F. M. Chambers, D. J. Charman, F. De Vleeschouwer, B. Fiałkiewicz-Kozieł, S. A. Finkelstein, M. Gałka, M. Garneau, D. Hammarlund, W. Hinchcliffe, J. Holmquist, P. Hughes, M. C. Jones, E. S. Klein, U. Kokfelt, A. Korhola, P. Kuhry, A. Lamarre, M. Lamentowicz, D. Large, M. Lavoie, G. MacDonald, G. Magnan, M. Mäkilä, G. Mallon, P. Mathijssen, D. Mauquoy, J. McCarroll, T. R. Moore, J. Nichols, B. O’Reilly, P. Oksanen, M. Packalen, D. Peteet, P. J. Richard, S. Robinson, T. Ronkainen, M. Rundgren, A. B. K. Sannel, C. Tarnocai, T. Thom, E.-S. Tuittila, M. Turetsky, M. Väliranta, M. van der Linden, B. van Geel, S. van Bellen, D. Vitt, Y. Zhao and W. Zhou (2014). "A database and synthesis of northern peatland soil properties and Holocene carbon and nitrogen accumulation." The Holocene 24(9): 1028-1042. 

  31. Lucchese, M., Waddington, J., Poulin, M., Pouliot, R., Rochefort, L., and Strack, M. 2010. Organic matter accumulation in a restored peatland: evaluating restoration success. Ecological Engineering, 36: 482-488. 

  32. Mazerolle, M., M. Poulin, C. Lavoie, L. Rochefort, A. Desrochers and B. Drolet (2006). " Animal and vegetation patterns in natural and man-made bog pools: implications for restoration." Freshwater Biology 51: 333-350. 

  33. Neumaier, D. and Meinken, E. 2015. Peat substitutes in growing media - Options and limitations. Acta Hortic. 1099, 159-166. 

  34. Nugent, K.A., Strachan, I.B., Roulet, N.T ., Strack, M., Frolking, S., and Helbig, M. 2019. Prompt active restoration of peatlands substantially reduces climate impact. Environmental Research Letters, 14(12). Canadian Peat: Ideal for Growing. For Generations to Come. 

  35. Nugent, K.A., Strachan, I.B., Strack, M., Roulet, N.T ., and Rochefort L. 2018. Multi-year net ecosystem carbon balance of a restored peatland reveals a return to C sink. Global Change Biology, 24: 5751-5768. 

  36. Poulin, M., Andersen, R., and Rochefort, L. 2012. A New Approach for Tracking Vegetation Change after Restoration: A Case Study with Peatlands. Restoration Ecology, 21: 363-371. 

  37. Price, J.S., Heathwaite, A.L., and Kettridge, N. 2003. Hydrological processes in abandoned and restored peatlands: An overview of management approaches. Wetlands Ecology and Management, 11: 65-83. 

  38. Quinty, F., LeBlanc, M.-C., and Rochefort, L. (2019). Peatland Restoration Guide – Plant Material Collecting and Donor Site Management. PERG, CSPMA and APTHQ. Québec City, Québec. 

  39. Quinty, F., LeBlanc, M.-C., and Rochefort, L. (2020a). Peatland Restoration Guide – Planning Restoration Projects. PERG, CSPMA and APTHQ. Québec, Québec. 

  40. Quinty, F., LeBlanc, M.-C., and Rochefort, L. (2020b). Peatland Restoration Guide – Site Preparation and Rewetting. PERG, CSPMA and APTHQ. Québec, Québec. 

  41. Quinty, F., LeBlanc, M.-C., and Rochefort, L. (2020c). Peatland Restoration Guide – Spreading Plant Material, Mulch and Fertilizer. PERG, CSPMA and APTHQ. Québec, Québec. 

  42. Quinty, F. and Rochefort, L. 2003. Peatland restoration guide, 2nd ed. Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association and New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy. Québec, Québec. 106 p. + 4 fascicules. 

  43. Rochefort, L., Campbell, D.R., Jutras, S., and Lefebvre-Ruel, S. 2019. Ecohydrological gradients and their restoration on the periphery of extracted peatlands. Restoration Ecology, 27(4): 782-792. 

  44. Rochefort, L., Isselin-Nondedeu, F., Boudreau, S., and Poulin, M. 2013. Comparing survey methods for monitoring vegetation change through time in a restored peatland. Wetlands Ecology and Management, 21: 71-85. 

  45. SCS Global Services. 2025. SCS-003 Responsibly Managed Peatlands – Certification Standard, Version 2.0. Emeryville: SCS Global Services. https://cdn.scsglobalservices.com/files/program_documents/SCS%20Standard_003_FS_V2.0%20%28202 5%29.pdf?VersionId=o0xM26Yi3abGs7yfIeN2.xUtfSgNiZkO 

  46. Shantz, M. and Price, J.S. 2006. Hydrological changes following restoration of the Bois-des-Bel Peatland, Québec, 1999–2002. Journal of Hydrology, 331: 543-553. 

  47. Sharma, B., H. He and N. T . Roulet (2025). "CO2 emitted from peat use in horticulture supports a lower emission factor." Carbon Management 16(1): 2468476. 

  48. Sharma, B., T . Moore and N. Roulet (2025). "Carbon balance and Greenhouse gas emissions from horticultural plants grown in peat-based growing media." Frontiers in Horticulture Volume 4 - 2025: Preliminary accepted. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/horticulture/articles/10.3389/fhort.2025.1655432/abstract 

  49. Sharma, B., T . R. Moore, K. H. Knorr, H. Teickner, P . M. J. Douglas and N. T . Roulet (2024). "Horticultural additives influence peat biogeochemistry and increase short-term CO(2) production from peat." Plant and Soil 505(1-2): 449-464. 

  50. UNEP. 2022. Global Peatlands Assessment – The State of the World’s Peatlands: Evidence for action toward the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of peatlands. Main Report. Global Peatlands Initiative. United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi. https://www.unep.org/resources/global-peatlands-assessment-2022. 

  51. UNEP. 2023. Peatlands matter: How the global peatlands assessment can drive restoration action - UNEP-WCMC. https://www.unep-wcmc.org/en/news/peatlands-matter-how-the-global-peatlands-assessment-can-drive-restoration-action 

  52. Wilkinson, S.L., Andersen, R., Moore, P .A. et al. Wildfire and degradation accelerate northern peatland carbon release. Nat. Clim. Chang. 13, 456–461 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01657-w 

  53. Xu et al. 2018. PEATMAP: Refining estimates of global peatland distribution based on a meta-analysis. Catena 160 (2018) 134–140. 

  54. Zulfiqar, F., Allaire, S.E., Akram, N.A., Méndez, A., Younis, A., Peerzada, A.M., Shaukat, N., and Wright, S.R. 2019. Challenges in organic component selection and biochar as an opportunity in potting substrates: a review. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 42:11-12, 1386- 1401. 

KNOW THE FACTS

Frequently Asked Questions

Peatlands are often featured in international publications and local media; however, the North American perspective is frequently overlooked or underrepresented.

Browse the questions below to learn more about the facts surrounding peatlands in Canada.

  • Some European countries plan to ban the sale of Peat. Why is Canada/North America not moving in this direction?

    The context in Europe and North America differs significantly. In some European countries such as the UK and Ireland, peatlands have been extensively drained and degraded over centuries, with few pristine peatlands left, and efforts to restore them are relatively new [50]. In contrast, Canada has vast, relatively intact peatlands covering over 119 million hectares, with the Canadian Peat industry's footprint since its inception 100 years ago accounting for 0.03% (36 032 hectares). Recognizing Europe's challenges over 30 years ago, the Canadian Peat industry has proactively adopted a Responsible Management approach, emphasizing collaboration with the scientific community to improve peatland management, enhance environmental outcomes, and minimize its footprint.

    Learn more about the state of the world’s peatlands through the UNEP Global Peatland Assessment, developed with the expertise of 226 peatland specialists from across the globe.

  • Some experts say there are plenty of alternatives for gardeners that are just as good as Peat. Shouldn’t we be using these alternatives?

    Peat provides the three essential characteristics that make it an ideal growing media for plants: water retention, aeration and nutrient retention. While there are alternative growing media components available, Peat has an unparalleled capacity to support plant growth. In fact, many alternatives benefit from the unique characteristics of Peat, with Peat often acting as an enabler in growing media. 

    Peat is safe for food production due to its low phytosanitary risks. It is approved for organic production and is consistent and reliable. These qualities make it a preferred choice for producing vegetables, herbs, fruits, ornamental plants, mushrooms, tree seedlings, and cannabis plants. For home gardeners, Peat reduces the frequency of watering and fertilization leaching and ensures the growing media has the proper consistency, whether used as a soil amendment for gardening in soil or containers.

  • What is the industry's footprint?

    The Canadian Peat industry’s footprint accounts for 0.03% of all peatlands across Canada, which cover over 119 million hectares. Peat extraction in Canada represents only 1% of peatland disturbance from human activities (24,964 ha), compared to other disturbances such as agriculture (63% or 1,315,373 ha), mining (18% or 370,000 ha), hydropower reservoirs (12% or 245,000 ha), and forestry (3% or 69,700 ha) [50]. The Canadian Peat industry stands out for implementing large-scale ecological restoration techniques on the sites it manages.

  • It’s been reported that Peat extraction contributes over 1 billion metric tons of climate-changing CO2 emissions per year. Is this true?

    No, that is not accurate for Canada’s peat industry. According to Canada's official national greenhouse gas inventory released in March 2025, annual emissions from Canadian Peat extraction for 2023 are estimated at approximately 1.6 million tonnes (Mt) of CO₂ equivalent, not over 1 billion tonnes. This figure includes emissions from land-use changes associated with extraction and restoration, as well as other factors such as off-site CO₂ emissions from waterborne carbon loss, emissions from peat stockpiles and products, and the inclusion of other greenhouse gases (CH₄, N₂O).

    The figure of "over 1 billion tonnes" likely refers to global estimates of emissions from all degraded peatlands worldwide, which include agriculture, drainage, and land-use changes in many countries. In contrast, Canada's horticultural Peat industry represents only a very small fraction of national and global emissions.

    Uncover more about the relationship between Peat and greenhouse gases here.

  • What investments has the Canadian Peat industry made to support responsible management and improve understanding of its environmental impact?

    The Canadian Peat industry has been collaborating for decades with the academic research community. Since 1996, CSPMA has made possible $20 million (CDN) worth of research projects with an important focus on the development of best management practices, especially ecological restoration techniques for post-extraction peatlands. Through a partnership between the Peatland Ecology Research Group (PERG), CSPMA, and Canadian federal and provincial agencies, research has been ongoing successfully for 30 years regarding the ecological restoration and responsible management of Canadian peatlands.

  • What is the Moss Layer Transfer Technique (MLTT) to restore peatlands?

    The MLTT is a peatland restoration approach developed by the Peatland Ecology Research Group (PERG) in partnership with CSPMA, with the following outcomes: 

    • Plant vegetation re-establishment timeline: 3 to 5 years
    • Biodiversity returns: High level
    • Return of the carbon sink timeline: 10 to 15 years

    Learn more about the MLTT and Peatland Science here.

  • Is there a certification process for the Canadian Peat industry?

    Yes, as of 2025, approximately 80% of total Canadian Peat production is certified under the Veriflora® Responsibly Managed Peatlands Program (an third-party certification from SCS Global), with 88% of CSPMA producer members' holding this certification.

    The certification has stringent conditions and goes further than many regulatory requirements from various levels of governments. The industry uses best management principles developed and applied during extraction and restoration practices. The standards represent guidelines to reach and foster the development of Best Management Practices and innovative tools. The certification demonstrates the industry's commitment to the application of responsible management practices in all aspects of sustainable development including ecosystem protection, social engagement and product quality.

References

These references are cited as footnotes throughout this page (e.g., [31]) and reflect sources specific to the content above. For a complete list of references, visit our Resources & FAQ.

[50]. UNEP. 2022. Global Peatlands Assessment – The State of the World’s Peatlands: Evidence for action toward the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of peatlands. Main Report. Global Peatlands Initiative. United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi. https://www.unep.org/resources/global-peatlands-assessment-2022.