On 4 November 2026, the EPA | LIFE IP Peatlands & People Research Seminar 2026: From Research Findings to Action took place in the Tullamore Court Hotel, bringing together researchers, policymakers and state agencies to discuss the findings emerging from a suite of EPA-funded peatland research projects supported through the LIFE IP Peatlands and People project.

The aim of the seminar was to provide the EPA-funded research projects with an opportunity to present their findings, share emerging lessons and identify future research needs. Reflecting this objective, attendance was intentionally focused on the research and policy community, and was not intended as a broader public engagement forum.

The seminar opened with scene-setting presentations from representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the LIFE IP Peatlands and People project, highlighting the climate, water and policy context for peatland restoration and the role of research in supporting evidence-based decision-making. The morning session then focused on presentations from six EPA-funded research projects:

• CO2PEAT
• CH4PEAT
• ASPEN
• WET-PEAT
• Peat-Hub Ireland
• SMART BOG

Collectively, these projects explored topics including greenhouse gas emissions, hydrology, environmental monitoring, restoration effectiveness and peatland knowledge synthesis. Presenters highlighted key findings, implications for policy and practice, and areas where significant evidence gaps remain. This was followed by a discussion on transferring research to policy.

The afternoon programme moved beyond research findings to consider how evidence can better support policy development and restoration delivery. Panel discussions involving representatives from the EPA, National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Bord na Móna and LIFE IP Wild Atlantic Nature explored how research is influencing decision-making and what is needed to translate evidence into large-scale peatland restoration action.

Several common themes emerged throughout the day, including:

• The importance of high-quality evidence to support restoration and climate action.
• The need for continued investment in monitoring and long-term datasets.
• Stronger links between research, policy and implementation.
• The challenge of scaling peatland restoration to meet national climate and biodiversity objectives.
• The growing importance of restoration finance, partnerships and collaborative delivery models.

We would like to thank all presenters, panellists and participants for contributing to a highly engaging and constructive event. The discussions demonstrated the value of bringing together research and policy to share experiences, challenge assumptions and identify priorities for future work.

Event Materials

Presentation slides from the seminar will be made available on this page by the end of November.

The following documents have also been made available:

• Final seminar agenda.
• Summary of participant responses submitted through the registration process on priority peatland research needs and knowledge gaps.

We hope these resources will be useful to those interested in the future of peatland research, restoration and climate action in Ireland.