In addition to discussing these scenarios, participants also created new ones. One very popular suggestion was to transform a former peat extraction site into a lake. Could this “nature pool”  stop the release of CO2 emissions from the surrounding peat, while creating a place for people to swim and for nature to develop? Other new ideas focused on creating more compensation areas or expanding biotopes. It was also suggested that ongoing peat extraction licenses could be returned if the community decided against them and would financially compensate.  With all the different stakeholders involved in this debate, discussions were sometimes tense, but they also led to surprising outcomes. For instance, some farmers expressed interest in exploring alternative cultivation methods for peat soils, where apple cultivation is currently challenging.  Discussions emerged about cultivating reeds, cattails, bamboo, or rice. One captivating statement  in the debate was: “We should not adjust the land to the use, but rather adjust the use to the land”.

Figure 3: Comments in The Future Scenario Book. Author, 2025.

The closing event offered an opportunity to reflect on the exhibition’s outcomes and discuss potential next steps. The ten days of discussions generated many hopeful perspectives but also revealed that much remains to be done. An exhibition alone cannot solve the complex issue of peat extraction, but it can serve as a starting point for ongoing dialogue. The insights gathered during the exhibition, including written comments and new scenarios, were compiled into a final report as the official outcome of the process. It is being shared with the library, participants of the exhibition and other interested stakeholders. Some institutions have already expressed interest in continuing the dialogue around this topic — with the report as a valuable foundation.

All of this wouldn’t have been possible without the exhibition as a space for dialogue. This demonstrates how design, as a creative and mediating discipline, can play an important role in addressing environmental issues — not just for peat extraction, but for other topics as well.

Cover image: Exhibition opening. Photo by Author, 2025

This article is part of the project “Quiz Ambientali per un Trentino Più Verde!” carried out by Econtrovertia APS and sponsored by Fondazione Cassa Rurale di Trento (Notice of Approval of December 20, 2024).