Revegetation processes in abandoned peat production fields in Estonia

Authors:
Mall Orru and Rein Ramst

Book:
After Wise Use – The Future of Peatlands, Proceedings of the 13th International Peat Congress: Peatland After-Use

Keywords:
abandoned-peat-production-fields, estonia, peat-resources, revegetation

Documentfile:
Orru et al. 2008: Revegetation processes in abandoned peat

Summary:

About 100 abandoned peat production fields for a total area of 10 000 ha are in need of after-use management in Estonia. Just a very small part of this area has been afforested or is used for growing berries. Due to an un- favourable water regime, natural revegetation processes are generally very slow. Effective measures have to be taken therefore to reclaim these fields, beginning with regulation of the water level. In the course of the inventory of the abandoned milled peat fields, several moss species new or rare in Estonia were identified (Polia elongata, Ephemerum serratum, Campylopus introflexus).