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by Greta Gaudig
More than 500 people from nearly 40 different countries participated at the excellently organized 12th International Peat Congress from 06-11 June 2004 in Tampere (Finland). The main theme “Wise use of peatlands” was presented by the keynote speakers Clayton Rubec, Hans Joosten, Sundari Ramakrishna, Jukka Laine, and Alexandr Balykov. This theme also determined the content of various other presentations and meetings. Altogether 143 lectures and 113 posters were presented in 2,5 days. “Tropical peat and peatlands” was the theme with most of the oral presentations (26) showing its relevance and exigency. Besides, considerable insight into a lot of large research projects (e.g. EUROPEAT, RECIPE) was provided. The 1360 pages proceedings of the Congress allow every Congress participant to read about all presentations. The conference backpack included also the IPS-DVD on “Wise Use of Mires and Peatlands” (see elsewhere in this Newsletter). At midweek of the Congress ten also excellently organized different field trips were offered and enjoyed by most of the Congress participants.
Such a large Congress of course is used for important business and technical meetings which already started on Sunday. To emphasise are the meetings of the working groups “Wise Use of Tropical peatlands” and “Sphagnum farming”.
The large participation at the joint IPS/IMCG workshop and panel discussion on the last day of the Congress shows the need for discussion on “The future of peatlands”. “The future of peatlands” will also be the theme of the next International Peat Congress in Tullamore, Ireland 2008.
New IPS-President Makku Makelä, Geological Survey of Finland, Espoo
As usual, the country that organizes the International Peat Congress provides the next IPS President. In Tampere Prof. Markku Mäkelä from the Geological Survey of Finland was called to duty as IPS-president until 2008. Within the Director’s staff of the Geologival Service Markku Mäkelä is responsible for International Services.
The theme of his PhD thesis (1974) was “A study of sulfur isotopes in the Outokumpu ore deposit”.
It would be desirable that his first clumsy appearance is not representative for his entire carreer as IPS President.
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