Taking Peatlands to People
Basic decisions about where to locate interpretation can be made by considering how sensitive a peatland and its wildlife might be to human disturbance. If the site is very sensitive - for example because of its small size - it might be best to interpret the peatland off-site. In other words, aim to Take the Peatlands to People.
There may also be situations where both off-site interpretation and on-site access and interpretation are feasible. One place where this was done in the LEADER+ project was at Flanders Moss National Nature Reserve and its local area, in central Scotland.
In general, certain media are also - by their very nature - useful off-site. Simply by looking at this website's coverage of some excellent European peatlands, you are benefiting from a globally accessible type of 'Taking Peatlands to People'.
By its very nature, off-site interpretation provides an opportunity to interpret your site to a greater number of people. While off-site interpretation doesn't have the intimacy of onsite interpretation it can be very effective in increasing interest and understanding of your site. Options for offsite interpretation include:
- Interpretive leaflets
- Books
- Videos
- CD ROMs
- Websites
- Arts and crafts (using materials from peatlands or inspired by peatlands)
- Exhibitions (including photographic competitions)
- Radio and television broadcasts
Whether the focus of your work is off-site, on-site, or both, community participation should form an important part of the planning process. Good local participation can contribute useful ideas to projects and help people who live close to a peatland to feel more involved in cherishing this part of their natural and cultural heritage.
You can see the details of the many kinds of work done to
Take the Peatlands to People at different places through these
links:
- Working with artists and other creative people to interpret a peatland
- Off-site peatland interpretation: