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80 Per Cent of Canadian Peat Production Now Certified
With growing concerns over environmental sustainability, the peat industry continues to develop, focusing on responsible peat extraction, restoration, and certification. The Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association (CSPMA) has been driving some of these efforts, collaborating with scientists, industry leaders, and government entities for over thirty years to promote best practices.
Charleen McCartney, Communications Coordinator of CSPMA emphasizes the importance of peat as an "enabler" in growing media: "Peat brings out those good qualities in everything else. It helps other materials perform better." It serves as a key ingredient in many growing media due to its exceptional properties, including water retention, nutrient retention, and soil aeration.
Stéphanie Boudreau, CSPMA's Vice President of Science & Research Partnerships, shares that despite the benefits, peat extraction does come with environmental concerns, as does any other ingredient of growing media. Peat extraction has temporary impacts on peatlands, which are important ecosystems for biodiversity and carbon sequestration. The Canadian peat industry, however, works hard to mitigate these impacts through sustainable management practices and innovative restoration techniques.
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Building a Sustainable Future for Peat Through Policy and Innovation
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How CSPMA Members Are Managing Peatlands Responsibly
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