ScottsMiracle-Gro 2024 Corporate Responsibility Report: Responsibily Sourcing Peat Moss

Originally published in ScottsMiracle-Gro's 2024 Corporate Responsibility Report

Peat is a valuable ingredient in soil and potting mixes that home gardeners and commercial growers appreciate for its soil amendment properties. In addition to providing ideal soil consistency and moisture retention, peat has important environmental benefits, including trapping carbon and supporting wildlife. Because peat is a limited natural resource and provides environmental benefits, we prioritize responsible sourcing. Many of our peat moss production sites in Canada are certified Veriflora® Responsibly Managed Peatlands, demonstrating our commitment to the preservation and restoration of these vital ecosystems. In Canada, where our peat is sourced, strict regulations control access to the territory and conservation of its resources.

Scotts Canada participates in collaborative research with universities throughout Canada under the Peatland Ecology Research Group (PERG), a collaboration between the scientific community, the peat industry and government agencies. This collaboration improves our understanding of the impacts of peat use and the best practices for rehabilitation. PERG’s mission is to develop knowledge about peatlands and wetlands and their ecological restoration to guide societal responsible peat management.

Notably, recent research has shown that:

• A plant cover, composed of typical bog species dominated by sphagnum mosses, can be re-established within three to five years.
• The productivity rate of sphagnum mosses and the accumulation of organic matter in restored bogs after eight years are comparable to those in pristine sites.
• The annual carbon balance of restored peatland sites returns to values comparable to those of the natural environment within 10 to 15 years of restoration practices.

We are committed to developing and maintaining respectful and collaborative relationships with Canadian aboriginal communities where we source sphagnum peat moss. For example, we are supporting an Aboriginal Knowledge Study to document the historical use of a specific peatland environment in New Brunswick. As part of this study, a resource commissioned by a group of Mi’kmaq communities is conducting excavations to identify and preserve artifacts related to peatland use. In addition, a report compiling the results of interviews held with people from the community near the peat harvesting site was completed in 2023 to establish the historical facts and aboriginal traditions associated with this site.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PEAT SOURCING

Q: Why is peat moss a staple for so many gardeners?

A: Peat moss has a unique ability to support healthy, thriving plants. This lightweight material is naturally weed, pest and pollutant free. It helps keep nutrients and water available for plant growth — two of the biggest success factors for gardeners. Its consistent quality also makes it a great ingredient in growing media mixes.

Q: Can peat harvesting be done responsibly?

A: Yes. There is also a specific certification to assure consumers that peat producers have applied best management practices, managed by SCS Global Services, a sustainability service provider and third-party certifier. The SCS’ Responsibly Managed Peatlands program consists of an annual on-site audit, where SCS examines policies and procedures, conducts site visits and interviews workers to ensure conformance to the standard. Post-harvest restoration and rehabilitation of peat bogs is a significant part of the certification process.

Q: What is peatland restoration?

A: Peatland restoration aims to restore and promote the return of the ecological functions of the peatland, including biodiversity, hydrological regulation and carbon sequestration.

Q: How does ScottsMiracle-Gro support responsible peat harvesting?

A: In addition to adhering to the Veriflora standards necessary for certification and being subject to strict governmental regulations and policies aimed to support the conservation of peatlands, Scotts Canada participates in a national research program with the Peatland Ecology Resource Group (PERG), whose main research involves peatland management, biodiversity, hydrology, greenhouse gasses and sphagnum farming.

To learn more about ScottsMiracleGro's commitment to corporate responsibility, visit our webpage

For full details about ScottsMiracle-Gro's 2024 Corporate Responsibility Report, visit here.