KUCHING: The United States Geological Survey (USGS) will take part in the 15th International Peat Congress (IPC) here from Aug 15-19 next year.

Also joining the congress are the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) and International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO).

Upon the request of various groups several special sessions will be conducted.

Dr Dominic Ong of Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak will conduct the session on ‘Soft Soil Engineering’, focusing on characterisation and engineering behaviour, construction challenges and sustainable treatments, material performance, recent advances in research and government initiatives and policies.

The session on ‘The Use of Growing Media in Today’s and Future Horticulture in Asia, Oceania and Other Parts of the World’ will be presented by Gerald Schmilewski from Klassmann-Delimann GmbH, Germany, who believes that responsible growing media production and horticultural application must be acceptable, feasible and appropriate for all stakeholders.

The convenor for the session on ‘Publicly Managed Peatland Carbon Storage, Ecosystem Services and Management’ will be Dr ZhiliangZhu of USGS. This session is devoted to the exchange of research methods and results on peatland carbon storage and management where the US experience will be shared.

Dr Mark E Harrison of Orangutan Tropical Peatland Trust and University of Leicester in the United Kingdom and Prof Jack O Rieley of the International Peat Society will share their findings on tropical peatland in Borneo and Sumatra. This session will highlight the rich biodiversity found on peatland in Borneo and Sumatra, the threats faced, advances in biodiversity and its conservation.

Congress general Dr Lulie Melling told The Borneo Post on Thursday that Asiaflux — a regional research network bringing together scientists from universities and institutions in Asia to study the exchanges of carbon dioxide, water vapour and energy – will also join the special sessions.

Lulie, who is director of the Tropical Peat Research Laboratory Unit (TPRL), a research unit under the Chief Minister’s Department, said IPC has received overwhelming support from local and international scientists, students, researchers, NGO members, plantation industrial players, students and agriculturists.

With the event drawing nearer, she called for abstract submission for papers to be presented during the quadrennial international convention.

“The deadline for the abstract submission has been extended to Dec 30. We call on those who will be presenting their papers to send their abstracts as soon as possible,” she said.

Over 3,000 international and local delegates are expected to attend the event themed ‘Peatlands in Harmony – Agriculture, Industry & Nature’, which is organised by the Malaysian Peat Society (MPS) in partnership with International Peat Society (IPS) and supported by IUSS and IUFRO.