Will Restoration Save the Day?
The depth of cutting, duration of operations, and methods of extraction have a long-lasting effect on the quality of the substrate, and in some cases the hydrology of the local landscape. Combined with appropriate water management after extraction, some original peatland functions can be recreated, however, many of the changes are irreversible, such as changes to the soil structure.
Peatland restoration is a relatively new field of study. The European and North American approaches to peatland restoration differ mostly because of different land uses of peatlands, peat mining methods, and goals for restoring biodiversity and ecological functions.
Little natural regeneration of Sphagnum sp. occurs on harvested bogs in Quebec and New Brunswick that have been extracted by vacuum methods; active management is essential for recovery. In Canada, some peatlands are not recolonised by Sphagnum even after many years of natural succession. This is because extraction methods impede plant reestablishment. Bare peat surfaces are home to harsh conditions including poor water availability, exposure to desiccation, erosion and lack of seeds or other plant material that has the ability to generate new growth.
Goals of Restoration
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Peatlands in the boreal region of
Canada are where most human activities on peatlands takes place, the long term
objective after peat harvest is often to return a functional peat accumulating
ecosystem, as in a self-sustaining peat accumulating ecosystem. The return to a
functioning peatland within 20 to 30 years may not be realistic; short term restoration
is not considered in the realm of possible because of the need to regenerate
plant growth and accumulate organics that will become the peat matter. Short
term objectives of a peatland restoration project are to establish plant cover
composed of mire species and to recreate hydrological conditions similar to
natural bogs and fens. There are two main components to peatland restoration:
reestablishing plant cover by species that dominate peatlands, and re wetting
harvested sites by raising the water table.
Peatlands can be classified into different levels of disturbance from the harvesting process. This is characterized from natural disturbance that is no human influence, to minor, moderate and major disturbances, to artificial. Natural disturbance requires no initiation or development by human processes; all natural processes of hydrology are unaffected by human activity.The characterization of artificial disturbance means that the damage to the area has almost completely destroyed the original peatland, and all existing peat land is a result of human managed efforts.
Peatlands can be classified into different levels of disturbance from the harvesting process. This is characterized from natural disturbance that is no human influence, to minor, moderate and major disturbances, to artificial. Natural disturbance requires no initiation or development by human processes; all natural processes of hydrology are unaffected by human activity.The characterization of artificial disturbance means that the damage to the area has almost completely destroyed the original peatland, and all existing peat land is a result of human managed efforts.
_ENVR 4000 Sustainable Water Management 2012