Programme

The programme of the 22nd Baltic Peat Producers Forum will highlight this year's key topic, "Shaping a Growing Media Future for People and Planet", and encapsulate our commitment to pioneering practices that nurture the earth and empower communities.

Wednesday // 18 September

17.00 Registration desk open & Expo center opening / Round Table meeting of IPS, GME and PA representatives

18.30 Ice-breaking Party
The Ice Breaking event will take place on the terrace of Vytautas Minerals SPA, in the glass hall. You will enjoy grilled food and relaxed atmosphere with music. This is an opportunity for making new contacts and developing existing relationships with colleagues and partners.

Thursday // 19 September

8.00-11.30

Registration

9.30-9.40

Welcome speech
Edvardas Citvaras, Birstonas ViceMayer
Simonas Gentvilas, Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania

9.40-11.30

INDUSTRY PANEL

9.40-10.00

Growing Media Market by 2050: a framework for projecting the Demand and Raw Material Availability and preliminary results
Authors: Van Nguyen, Tommaso Barbagli and Chris Blok
Presenting author: Van Nguyen, Researcher Growing Media at Wageningen University and Research, Business Unit Greenhouse Horticulture

10.00-10.20

Policy at a crossroads: stronger together for the future of peat extraction and horticulture
Jesse Schevel, Glastuinbouw Nederland, Head of Brussels Office

10.20-10.40

Insights to analysis of potential CO2 emission compensation measures for Estonian peat production industry
Ulrika Hurt, research project team member, TalTech
Jaana Merisaar, research project team member, TalTech

10.40-11:00

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Innovation in Peat Production: Enhancing Efficiency, Sustainability and Compliance
Valentas Gružauskas, Assoc. Professor @ Vilnius University, CEO AIRC Consulting

11.00-11:30

Discussion panel - Industry perspective (Industry panel + Other)

11.30-12:00

Coffee break

12.00-13.25

SUSTAINABILITY PANEL

12.00-12.15

Hannu Salo, IPS president

12.15-12.35

Managing the Future of the Peat Industry
Gerda Žigienė, Professor of Finance and Sustainability @ KTU and Sustainability strategist

12.35-12.55

Peat’s carbon life-cycle. First results
Ain Kull, PhD, associate professor, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, Tartu University & Martin Küttim, PhD, researcher, School of Natural Sciences and Health, Institute of Ecology, Tallinn University

12.55-13.15

Peatland recultivation and GHG inventory: LULUCF perspective
Ieva Līcīte, PhD @ Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies

13.15-13.25

Suokone Oy, Gold sponsor

13.25-14.30

Lunch

14.30-17.00

BALTIC PANEL

14.30-14.40

Beumer Group GmbH & Co, Gold sponsor

14.40-15.00

Evaluation of the socioeconomic impact of the peat industry in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Preliminary results
Kristaps Kovalevski, Manager @ KPMG Baltics SIA

15.00-15.30

Estonian peat association, Erki Niitlaan

15.30-16.00

Latvia peat association, Ingrida Krigere

16.00-16.30

Lithuania growing media producers association, Giedrius Kavaliauskas

16.30-17.00

Disscussion panel - Peat industry perspective (Baltic panel + Other)

19.00 Gala dinner
After the intensive discussions and seminars, we invite you to a Gala Dinner at the MOON Restaurant Vytautas Mineral SPA, where you will be able to taste local delicacies with unique flavor combinations and listen to the exceptional music of a virtuoso ensemble.

Friday // 20 September

10.00 Excursion
The day after the forum, join us for a boat trip on the Nemunas River, the largest river in Lithuania. The boat will take us from Birštonas to Prienai and show us the breathtaking river route, where you will experience the beautiful Lithuanian nature, river valleys and slopes, and get to know the local bird life.

ICE-BREAKING PARTY

18 SEPTEMBER at 18.30