is sphagnum moss sustainable

Basically, there are two forms of the sphagnum moss when sold commercially, long-fibered moss and milled moss. A shade cover of trees and shrubs of between 20% - 40% increases growth rates. Illegal harvesting is an increasing problem. Shrubs are often cut to enable easier harvesting. feedback form or by telephone. Harvested moss is put into nylon wool bales which weigh between 100 and 120 kg when wet. 5 star Chilean sphagnum moss is also a good choice. Canada has 111 million hectares (about the size of Washington, Oregon, and California) of peatlands, but only 17 thousand hectares (comparable to the city of Portland) is actively harvested. It is the basis of swamp land, forming over thousands of years. Although peat moss can be found in potting soils in nearly every gardening center in the world, harvesting peat moss is not a sustainable practice . At some Tasmanian sites drains have been built around the edge of the peatland to allow easier extraction, but this may cause long-term damage. Another difference is that sphagnum moss has neutral pH, unlike peat moss which is acidic. Last published on: The growth rate varied in Tasmania from 0.4 cm/year at a high altitude site (950 m) at Mt Field to 4.2 cm/year at a sheltered, highly productive site at 530 m in central Tasmania. It is not a perfect substitute for peat moss, but for the purpose of this post let’s assume it is good enough to be used as an alternative potting media. Sphagnum farming is the sustainable production of Sphagnum moss biomass.. 6 yearly production cycles were implemented and monitored over 7 growing seasons. It is harvested by hand so it can regrow. 5 star Chilean sphagnum moss is also a good choice. Sourcing sphagnum moss As part of MoorLIFE 2020 we are tasked with innovating a sustainable method of sourcing sphagnum moss, the fundamental plant of blanket bogs, which is sorely missing from much of the Peak District and South Pennines. The moss will be a sustainable raw material in the future. Sphagnum moss grows on the surface of bogs and peatlands. Peat moss is not a sustainable option for gardening on any level.Peat is the product of the natural processes that bogs go through.Sphagnum moss, the main species of a bog ecosystem, and other plant materials don't decompose in bogs.Instead they build up and compact to form what we know as peat moss. sites with a minimum average January temperature of 10. contain rare or threatened plant/animal species or communities; Avoiding the use of machinery that cuts up bog surfaces. If it is, we should certainly consider switching to it. The study explores the feasibility of commercially producing a sphagnum moss menstrual product in New Zealand. Use these convenient icons to share this page on various social media platforms. New Zealand Sphagnum Moss is the finest moss available in the world and is used extensively growing orchids and other moisture loving plants. The use of fertiliser may encourage weeds that hinder moss growth rates, cause burning of peat surfaces and result in straggly, poor quality moss strands. Cranberries, lingonberries, and hortleberries grow abundantly in bogs and are still harvested there today. Within Australia  as a whole the total amount of Sphagnum moss is very small compared to South America, New Zealand  and many European countries. The most common use of peat has been as a fuel. Sphagnum peat moss is a valuable, well-known, natural, organic resource that is predominately harvested for use as a soil conditioner or amendment by farmers, landscapers and gardeners. To preserve the vitality of those areas for many generations still, Premier Tech Horticulture actively participates in the restoration of peat bogs. What makes sphagnum moss an excellent sustainable raw material for substrates? There remains some limited legal commercial harvest from private land within Tasmania, where Sphagnum may be legally harvested if the intent is not to clear the vegetation or substantially change the ecology of the community. Des pite uncertainty, findings suggest that the production of a sphagnum moss menstrual pad is provisionally workable with regards to ecological sustainability, meeting the needs of women, and technical capability. Water accumulates or seeps in through rainfall, springs, or surface flow. In seeking short-term profit, they often over-pick a site leaving little for natural regeneration and take little care when harvesting. Sphagnum peatlands occur in Tasmania, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria, usually between 300 and 1500 m elevation. They are the same moss, but the long-fibered is left in its natural form and the milled is moss that has been finely chopped. If so, global warming is likely to reduce their chances of long-term survival. The CSPMA commissioned a study on the carbon emissions related to sphagnum harvest. In addition to our laboratory, test greenhouse and phytotrons (climate chambers), we recently hired our new Innovation Director, Marck Hagen. Traditionally harvesting is usually carried out by hand, with other vegetation (usually rushes) cleared with a scrub cutter and rake. If plants need more nutrients or a higher pH, other substances can be mixed with the peat without losing the beneficial qualities. Consumer-grade peat moss is dark brown plant material, fibrous and crumbly. Mosswool® can save money for the greenhouse farmer, because used slabs can be composted together with crop residues. This irreversibly changes the habitat, reduces the numbers of endemic peatland species, releases carbon into the atmosphere, and alters the hydrology. Sphagnum regeneration is slow, or sometimes absent, where a bare peat surface is left after harvesting. If harvesting operations occur on private land in peatlands containing rare or threatened species, a permit is required under the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995. Although peat moss can be found in potting soils in nearly every gardening center in the world, harvesting peat moss is not a sustainable practice . Peat has the perfect properties for a growing medium: abundance of pore spaces for air and water, lightweight, relatively weed-free and disease-free, and easily obtained. It is often referred to as the universal soil conditioner for its benefits to the soil. However, the number and size of Australian peatlands mean that the impacts of moss harvesting have been relatively high on this fragile ecosystem. Spaghnum moss is the actual living plant material, while peat moss is dead, dead, and deader. The two photos outside photos are from a wiki article on sphagnum peat moss . Moss - Decorative. Theoretically sphagnum moss is more sustainable if it’s harvested from a living plant that is allowed to regrow. The Sphagnum moss used in our products is a natural, green plant that grows in bogs. The average growth rate of a peat ‘moss’ is around 1mm a year, ... sensitive issue. When peat is harvested, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. But there's concern that horticultural demands for peat could be endangering the natural peatlands. Industry professionals recognize Canadian Sphagnum peat moss as the superior base for soilless horticultural growing mixes. Bogs and fens form where sphagnum grows because both living and dead moss absorb and store water. It is totally sustainable and renewable. In Victoria, the growth rate at the high altitude (1380 m) site at Baw Baw was 1.9 cm/year and 5.2 cm/year at the sheltered site at 900 m in the Central Highlands. Retaining at least 30% of the moss cover results in a faster recovery than leaving a bare peat surface. Mosswool® is the sustainable and total costs saving growing media for vegetable cultivation. (Photo courtesy of Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association). It comes on a rating scale; AAA grade is what you want to use for orchids. This results in water conditions that are then too dry or too wet for Sphagnum growth. You can use it as a decorative enhancement or bedding in flower arrangements. Sphagnum Moss. Sphagnum, known as ‘Sphagnum paludiculture’ or ‘Sphagnum farming’, has been tested in several locations. It is often referred to as the universal soil conditioner for its benefits to the soil. Even though harvest is carefully regulated, peat moss is not considered a renewable resource or a sustainable product. They act as huge water filters, removing toxins and metals. Sphagnum peat moss is a valued, recognized, natural, organic reserve that is largely harvested for use as a soil conditioner or amendment in horticulture. Archaeologists are able to fill in pieces of the human history puzzle from these anthropological treasures. View more. Disruption by machinery also allows the movement of sediments and nutrients both into and out of the peatland. Peat and Sphagnum moss complement each other in terms of their beneficial microbes and compounds. Sphagnum is a type of moss that’s most notable for its amazing absorption ability, capable of taking in 20 times as much water by weight as the moss’s dry weight. Spaghnum moss is neutral in pH and is very fibrous. The challenges of growing Sphagnum are manifold. Experts, including myself, recommend these peat-based mixes, particularly for containers and as a soil amendment in urban gardens. So what's an environmentally conscious gardener to do? Current threats to the long-term survival of Sphagnum peatlands include draining for agriculture, frequent burning, peat mining and unsustainable moss harvesting. Greatest deterioration occurs where drains are excavated. Spagmoss is produced from our West Coast wetlands in a sustainable and renewable way. Only a few hundred hectares will be used for collecting in the next few years. Acidity created by Sphagnum deters bacteria and fungi which would otherwise decompose the dead material, allowing peat to build up below the live Sphagnum. Of the 70 million tons of sphagnum peat naturally created every year in Canada, only 1.3 million tons are harvested. The decayed and dried sphagnum peat moss is usually referred to as simply peat. Regrowth in a harvested peat bog will eventually form the peat of the future. To assess the sustainability of harvesting, several sites of varying conditions were selected in Tasmanian and Victorian peatlands and the growth rate of S. cristatum measured. Traditionally Sphagnum moss is used to cover metal rings as the base of holly wreaths at Christmas. Peatlands are wetland ecosystems where peat is formed. After harvesting, fields are �reseeded� with live, shredded sphagnum. Other wetland plants, such as sedges, grasses, shrubs, and reeds, contribute to peat formation in both climates. Sphagnum moss and sphagnum peat moss are not the same thing (which you clearly already know :-)). It is often referred to as the universal soil conditioner for its benefits to the soil. We were intrigued when a vendor introduced us to a new, and far more environmentally sustainable, solution: natural sphagnum moss, now available for commercial use. Wholesale Flowers direct to your door. Collecting sphagnum moss mostly takes place in peatlands which have an altered natural state due to the digging of ditches. Of the 70 million tons of sphagnum peat naturally created every year in Canada, only 1.3 million tons are harvested. As it grows, it spreads onto drier areas and turns those into bogs as well. This page was created by the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (Tasmania). The middle photo is sourced from wikimedia commons . Gardeners typically want to be environmentally conscious. (Photo courtesy of Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association), Peat is renewable and will regrow if harvested in moderation. [Most of the data in this article come from the Coordinating Committee for Global Action on Peatland (CC-GAP), the Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association (CSPMA), International Peat Society (IPS), and the International Mire Conservation Group (IMCG). Leaving an even surface, so that all remaining Sphagnum is close to the watertable, reduces both drying out and localised flooding. First, let's review some definitions. Today in the northern hemisphere, the highest demand for peat is for horticulture. Sphagnum farming is defined as the sustainable production of non-decomposed Sphagnum biomass on a cyclic and renewable basis. In Tasmania and Australia as a whole harvesting has historically only been carried out on an extremely small scale when compared to commercial operations in other countries. Back to Our stories. The moss naturally cleans water, removes scale and corrosion and allows significant reductions in water and chemical use. To me, that's an example of sustainable management. The decayed and dried sphagnum peat moss is usually referred to … Sustainable harvesting. Despite uncertainty, findings suggest that the production of a sphagnum moss menstrual pad is provisionally workable with regards to ecological sustainability, meeting the needs of women, and technical capability. Privacy Policy and Although sphagnum moss is generally dominant, peat bogs are rich in other, sometimes rare, plant life, including cranberries, sundew and pitcher plants, evergreen shrubs and trees, and orchids. As of the beginning of 2009 the ecological community Alpine Sphagnum Bogs and Associated Fens has been nationally protected with a listing of Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. December 16, 2010 1:24 am. Peat moss is an excellent soil amendment for your acid-loving plants. The Sphagnum moss is a natural, green plant that grows in bogs. Find out when to order. The wetlands are restored back to a functional state and allowed to grow naturally. It’s the decayed remains of live sphagnum moss. 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