Bags of fuel peat in Wick?

[Duncansby]

but not planted on peatland?

[secrets in symmetry]

Planted anywhere.

Is there a particular problem with planting on Peatland? I was assuming you can do it without releasing too much CO₂, is that not right?

I think you're getting at something that eludes me. Who or what are (or were) NCC? Are we speaking of the '80s forestation?

Sorry for being dumb - if that's what I am being....

[Duncansby]

Sorry I wasn't meaning to be difficult and your not being dumb!

The NCC were the Nature Conservancy Council (became SNH in 1991) and yes I was thinking of the 80s forestation.

Planting on blanket bog would reduce the amount of water available and lead to the peat to resume decomposition and release CO2. Peat also stores more CO2 than live vegetation by area.

[ducati]

Well, at the risk of offending those people who love the Flow Country, and I do admit it has its moments, I would love to see most of Caithness covered in trees (again).

1. Carbon neutral source of heating and
2. would provide jobs in the local economy.

There are probably some good reasons against, but I'm putting my feet firmly in the "For" camp.

Ah now Neil, you need to do your research if you are going to enter a highbrow thread like this one. One of the fundamental features of Caithness landscape which make it (almost) unique in the whole of the UK, is it never was covered in trees. This makes the particular kind of peat unique and all the more precious.

[riggerboy]

Can anyone tell me where in Wick they sell bags of fuel peat and how much?

hi i get mine from the bloke in halkirk, he delivers them for free, 10 bags for £40, a really good buy, the come pretty much ready to use and give off a lovely smell lol, they also do jams and fruits,

Caithness Summer Fruits
01847 831232

[Neil Howie]

Ducati:

One of the fundamental features of Caithness landscape which make it (almost) unique in the whole of the UK, is it never was covered in trees. This makes the particular kind of peat unique and all the more precious

Ahh maybe I got carried away with my rhetoric and agenda for change! Over-egged the tree pudding. In my defense good sir, I used my memory of geography lessons from 20 years ago, and .. the internet for research. (Could explain a lot of my problems...)

This is more remarkable, as the county would seem at one period , to have been almost a complete forest. It contains a vast deal of moor or peat-moss, the well-known product of decayed vegetable matter; and, in cutting for fuel, trunks of birch, pine, hazel, and other trees have been very frequently found with the bark quite entire. Some of the roots seem charred with fire, and appearance which gives countenance to the tradition that the woods were burnt down for the purpose of expelling the wolves and other wild animals with which the county was anciently infested.

Caithness

But yes its a quote that is over a hundred years old and possibly inaccurate, maybe I went too far....

But on the positive side in composing my reply I found a great website about Caithness :

Landforms

and also, a quote that conjures up images of underwater forests, from the same site as quoted earlier, Caithness

“But the most remarkable evidence of ancient woods in Caithness, “ says the author of the New Statistical Account of Wick, “ is found in the Bay of Keiss. Between the links and the sand, and running down under the sea, are found the remains of a submarine forest. These are, like peat-moss, entirely composed of decayed wood. The barks of various kinds of trees are quite discernible, and even the seeds of birch and ash are so well preserved as to appear but lately taken from the tree”

[secrets in symmetry]

Sorry I wasn't meaning to be difficult and your not being dumb!

The NCC were the Nature Conservancy Council (became SNH in 1991) and yes I was thinking of the 80s forestation.

Planting on blanket bog would reduce the amount of water available and lead to the peat to resume decomposition and release CO2. Peat also stores more CO2 than live vegetation by area.

Ah, yes, it's the water thing. I'd heard that before, but I wasn't 100% sure it was correct.

Can you give a link to some reading material?

[ducati]

Ducati:


Ahh maybe I got carried away with my rhetoric and agenda for change! Over-egged the tree pudding. In my defense good sir, I used my memory of geography lessons from 20 years ago, and .. the internet for research. (Could explain a lot of my problems...)

Caithness

But yes its a quote that is over a hundred years old and possibly inaccurate, maybe I went too far....

But on the positive side in composing my reply I found a great website about Caithness :

Landforms

and also, a quote that conjures up images of underwater forests, from the same site as quoted earlier, Caithness

Well I referenced something I might have half heard some considerable time ago. I still think it is right though!

[roadbowler]

hi i get mine from the bloke in halkirk, he delivers them for free, 10 bags for £40, a really good buy, the come pretty much ready to use and give off a lovely smell lol, they also do jams and fruits, Caithness Summer Fruits01847 831232

cheers for your helpful reply riggerboy! Have some sorted now.@badger yes, i agree with what you suggest about wood this is what I normally use, however, cannot be gotten at the moment by my usual way, all other ways to procure it are too expensive so, will use a mix of wood and peat till my normal source of wood is available again. Peat is local, long term renewable and uses less fuel for transport and processing of (especially if you were to cut it yourself) so therefore, it can be said to be a sustainable fuel source in this largely treeless county. It is probably debatable how peats efficiency/energy density compares by volume to wood as a fuel, although, from what I've read it is comparable to hardwood but, it is largely softwoods available here and quality of the peat varies so, it will be a case of the proofs in the pudding. I know how much wood I use on an average winters day so, will be interesting to see how peat compares.

[Duncansby]

Ah, yes, it's the water thing. I'd heard that before, but I wasn't 100% sure it was correct.

Can you give a link to some reading material?

Sure can, hope you find these interesting:

SNH have a lot of useful stuff on their website - there is info here about carbon storage in peatlands v forests: http://www.snh.gov.uk/land-and-sea/m...and-woodlands/

Natural England have a paper on peatlands and carbon storage here: http://naturalengland.etraderstores....landShop/NE257. They explain on page 24 why mature woodlands store less CO2 than blanket bog.

The Habitat Action Plan for blanket bogs gives a good overview of the threats to, and importance of, peatlands: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.g...ans.aspx?ID=21

You can also view site management statements for all the SSSI's in Scotland on the SNH Sitelink page. Here's the one for Forsinard Bogs: http://gateway.snh.gov.uk/sitelink/d..._Doc_Type_ID=3

[Birons]

Can anyone tell me where in Wick they sell bags of fuel peat and how much?

We will be stockist of 20KG (approx) bags of peat soon.

I will post the price when they come into stock.

www.birons.co.uk

[orkneycadian]

Just nip out and cut some fae a peat bank! Mind you, maybe getting a bit late in the year to get it dried now!

[secrets in symmetry]

Peat is local, long term renewable and uses less fuel for transport and processing of (especially if you were to cut it yourself) so therefore, it can be said to be a sustainable fuel source in this largely treeless county.

Why don't you take your head out of the sand and admit that burning peat is very environmentally unsound? What hope is there for humanity when someone who claims to live naturally doesn't understand the damage she is doing? Your arrogant ignorance makes you guilty of capital ecological vandalism!

BTW oil, coal and gas are sustainable if I use your criteria!

[secrets in symmetry]

Sure can, hope you find these interesting:

SNH have a lot of useful stuff on their website - there is info here about carbon storage in peatlands v forests: http://www.snh.gov.uk/land-and-sea/m...and-woodlands/

Natural England have a paper on peatlands and carbon storage here: http://naturalengland.etraderstores....landShop/NE257. They explain on page 24 why mature woodlands store less CO2 than blanket bog.

The Habitat Action Plan for blanket bogs gives a good overview of the threats to, and importance of, peatlands: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.g...ans.aspx?ID=21

You can also view site management statements for all the SSSI's in Scotland on the SNH Sitelink page. Here's the one for Forsinard Bogs: http://gateway.snh.gov.uk/sitelink/d..._Doc_Type_ID=3

Thanks Duncansby.

[sids]

Burning them now, gonna burn more tomorrow.

I'll enjoy the warmth even more after reading the envirohippy point of view here. Thanks.

[secrets in symmetry]

Burning them now, gonna burn more tomorrow.

I'll enjoy the warmth even more after reading the envirohippy point of view here. Thanks.

You can follow the envirohippy's actions if you wish, but everyone knows she's wrong - except the environmental vandal herself.

[roadbowler]

Why don't you take your head out of the sand and admit that burning peat is very environmentally unsound? What hope is there for humanity when someone who claims to live naturally doesn't understand the damage she is doing? Your arrogant ignorance makes you guilty of capital ecological vandalism!BTW oil, coal and gas are sustainable if I use your criteria!

explain how burning peat is unnatural? You can't, nor can you suggest a better option for fuel that is more environmentally sound, cept trees of course which you think is a great idea to plant all over the peatlands LOL yet, duncansby quite rightly points out you're talking out yer apparently wiser end if you also are trying to proclaim death to the planet by co2. Natural living, yes, i haven't mentioned the 2000+ and growing short rotation coppice i've planted which eventually will fuel my fire and fires for generations after me. Peat is most likely a temporary option for me and a good one as it turns out, lovely peat fire going now. So, what exactly is it your doing to combat agw if you're so worried about the damage it's causing or you a hypocrite like the majority of agw fanatics? Taking your telly off standby or what?

[secrets in symmetry]

You really have no idea, have you? You really don't understand anything about the science that leads to global warming. You apparently don't understand why burning peat is not sustainable in practice, and you don't understand why you are therefore an environmental vandal. Go learn some science, go learn not to shoot your mouth off, and learn not to criticise those who do understand.

At the very least, do nothing - being worthless to the environment is better than destroying it as you are doing now. Your actions are a disgrace to thoughtful humanity.

[roadbowler]

You really have no idea, have you? You really don't understand anything about the science that leads to global warming. You apparently don't understand why burning peat is not sustainable in practice, and you don't understand why you are therefore an environmental vandal. Go learn some science, go learn not to shoot your mouth off, and learn not to criticise those who do understand. At the very least, do nothing - being worthless to the environment is better than destroying it as you are doing now. Your actions are a disgrace to thoughtful humanity.

By the looks, i may understand it better than you, afterall, at least I haven't planted my coppice on a peatbog!! Lmao!!! Just as i thought, the first agw fanatics to tell everyone else what they are doing is damaging the environment are the ones who do little to nothing themselves to save the planet, nothing except hypocrites. That is precisely what you are, thank you for finely illustrating the fact here along with your "wisdom" on the environmental benefits regards co2 reduction by planting forests on peatlands! Lol. Now take yer telly off standby and run off and find a peatbog to plant some trees,treehugger and don't forget your to hold your breath while your at it to save us from your co2 pollution. Ta.

[secrets in symmetry]

If you didn't apply your simple-minded childlike logic to everything, you might actually understand that the CO₂ dynamics of forested peat bog is complicated. From your words, I am already sure that I have learned more about planting forests on big stinky bogs in one day than you have in your whole time of sticking toy trees in your lawn.

You are a vandal every time you burn peat. The irony is that you think you are the envirohippy, whereas in fact your pyrotechnics are driving the planet into burnt oblivion every day. Keep up your imperialist behaviour if you wish, but don't complain when your planet burns like the wickerman.