wise use of mires and peatlands - Peatland Ecology Research Group

FRAMEWORK FOR WISE USE131National policies should, in general, beimplemented through legislation, stimulation(incentives), and education. There shouldbe an adequate public administration functionto administer these instruments in regard tomires and peatlands, and to carry out thenecessary regulatory functions.Relevant national policies 33 should, inter alia,include1.promoting the formulation andimplementation of a Wise Use strategy formires and peatlands, including a peatlandsconservation strategy;2. increasing knowledge and promoting publicawareness of peatlands and their valuesthrough education and the mass media;3. carrying out an inventory of peatland indifferent categories (classes and degreesof use or degradation),4.applying an internationally agreedclassification system for peatland types;5. placing responsibility for peatlands withina transparent administrative system andestablishing or strengthening mire- andpeatland-related institutions;6.supporting research into mires andpeatlands.(2) Legislation 34 : The Wise Use of mires andpeatlands should, in each country, take placein a context of legislation. Legislation shouldcover such areas as● Land-use planning● Protection of wildlife, of habitats and ofspecific areas 35● Environmental protection, including thelicensing of industrial, agricultural andservice activities likely to impact on theenvironment.International agreements (including, but notrestricted to, the Ramsar Convention and theConvention on Biological Diversity) shouldbe incorporated into domestic legislation.(3) Land-use planning: Land-use planningis a process or procedure to plan the use ofland for the common good. It is carried out,as appropriate, by State, Regional or LocalGovernment authorities. Land-use planninginvolves● The preparation and updating of adevelopment plan for each area, setting outthe overall strategy for the planning of thearea. Such a plan provides for the zoningof land for particular uses; the provisionfor infrastructure; conservation andprotection; integration with the social,community and cultural requirements of thearea and its population; the preservationof the character of a landscape; and thecontrol of building and other development.● A system of controls by the PlanningAuthority which controls the carrying outof any works in, on, over or under land inaccordance with the area plan. It involvesthe Planning Authority giving or refusingpermission for the use or development ofland, and the setting of conditions for thatuse or development.● Public access to, and participation in, theplanning process.Planning laws normally provide for the useof Environmental Impact Assessments(EIAs), whereby the probable or possibleimpact on the environment of a proposedproject is assessed. An Environmental ImpactStatement (EIS) is a written documentsubmitted by, or on behalf of, a developer toa Planning Authority. It is a public document,part of a process of public consultation andparticipation 36 . It is advisable for land-useplanning officials to be aware of the valuesand functions of peatlands.(4) Licensing: All development of peatlandsshould take place within a nationalenvironmental licensing system. Such asystem should be enshrined in law andshould govern the licensing and regulationof industrial and agricultural processes onmires and peatlands as part of an overalllicensing system. The purpose of a licensingsystem is to prevent or eliminate