Peat-Fest South-West Manifesto
Peat-Fest South-West listened to young people’s voices, sharing their views on why peatlands matter to us all.
Led by young participants, with RE-PEAT, Peat-Fest South-West has developed a Manifesto for peatlands across the South-West and beyond.
You can read our Manifesto below or download a copy or hear young voices reading their Manifesto as part of Bogcast 7 - Cycles of Life.
Image thanks to RE-PEAT, photo: Oonagh Casey photography
Peat-Fest South-West Manifesto:
We dream:
We dream of Exmoor, Dartmoor, Bodmin, the Avalon Marshes and Dorset Heaths.
We dream of a time when we sat around the fire with our community
as we cut turf to keep our homes warm and share stories of the Bodmin beast.
We dream of being wet and squelchy.
We dream of Peatland that is repaired by our hands and abundant across the South.
We dream of rolling in the mud and hope we don’t lose a boot.
We feel:
Bogs need to be wet!
Bogs are misunderstood
Wet
squidgey
Excited
Boggy
The smallest puddle can be deeper than it looks
We Need:
Peatlands are homes to bird and bog
Peatlands are where rivers are born
Peatlands are worth more than gold
Without peatlands we are all poorer.
Exmoor, Bodmin, Dartmoor, the Avalon Marshes, Upton Heath
We went into our peatlands together and it felt amazing
We found ourselves amongst the plants and animals that call these wet places home
We looked out at wide views, through hand lens portals,
saw abundant living shapes, vibrant colours
We touched - soft Sphagnum squeezed, puddle-pulled feet, bouncing
We sang, squelched, planted into deep ancient peat. We mended.
We invented and imagined
And basically it was fun,
interesting, at times serene
And what we want is for you to have a go too
Enjoy experiencing peat in your own way
Get to know the peatlands, get involved, make a difference
We have some ideas of things for you to try (and recommend a pair of wellies)
We hope you have a great time!
