Peat Pen Pals [PPP] is an initiative developed to deepen and enhance creative engagement around peatlands. The initiative connects youth who have experienced a peatland and/or participated in RE-PEAT’s Bog Academy’s educational programme, encouraging creativity and reflection following their hands-on peatland excursions.
Peat Pen Pals gives youth the opportunity to creatively engage with peatlands and exchange letters with peers across borders, allowing them to socialise, share their learnings and experiences, and deepen their understanding of these unique ecosystems. This initiative helps bring peatland awareness and instills a sense of responsibility and stewardship for peatlands from an early age.
2024: Pilot project launched between primary schools in the UK and Ireland
Peat Pen Pals (2024), Oxford, Oxford. ©Caroline Vitzthum
Find out more here : Peat-pen-pals — carolinevitzthumstudio
2025: Development of a structured model in Ireland, leaning on Bog Academy’s network of schools and peatland excursions.
Peat Pen Pals (2025), Ireland. ©Holly Bartley ©Monika Narozna
Peat Pen Pals (2025), Netherlands. ©Holly Bartley
As part of the PPP initiative, letters written by youth attending RE-PEAT’s Restoration Academy nature restoration camp in Friesland have been sent to youth on the East Coast of the United States, who will be attending the Farm & Wilderness summer camp in Vermont.
2026 and beyond: Expansion of the model to other countries, facilitating more cross-national exchanges between schools.
Learning Objectives
* Develops creative engagement with peatlands
* Encourages letter writing as a form of communication
* Encourages creative writing and self-expression from this hands-on activity
* Builds friendships and strengthens connections between young people across borders
Peat Pen Pals (2025), Ireland. ©Holly Bartley
We’ve developed a teacher/facilitator guide to support the expansion of this initiative.
If you’re interested in the initiative and would like to contribute to its expansion or support us in any way, please reach out to us at info@re-peat.earth
This project was funded by Peatlands and Natura Community Engagement Scheme 2025
