Page 12 - Tallinna Ülikool

4.
Estonia has great profita- bility in restoring mires
In Estonia, much less capital is needed for successful restoration of mire habitats than in most central and western European countries.
65% of the area of mires has been destroyed or severely a ected by drainage in Estonia. Virtually all the bogs are surrounded by ditches today. Smaller mires are more heavily a ected by drainage, as ditches have a greater impact on the entire mire. Larger mire sys- tems are in a better condition because of a better water supplies and less in uence of border area drainage.
As a result of drainage, forests with higher
and denser tree layers are growing on drained border areas of mires. is is not typical for naturally functioning mires, but border areas of most mires in Estonia have become like this.
In spite of the extensive drainage, there is a great potential for restoration of mires in Estonia, because:
Surface of the abandoned peat eld / L. Truus
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In the boreal climate zone, mire restoration experiments have been conducted in several countries – Canada, Sweden, Finland and Latvia. eir experience is also applicable
in Estonia. Also in Estonia, mires have been restored in twenty years, with success stories as well as experience gained from mistakes.
e extent and degree of human impact is still small enough to allow plant seeds and spores to spread from the existing mires to areas with restored water regime so as to develop the peat-forming mire ecosystems without sowing or planting. e areas that can be used for collecting plant material for sowing can be also found, if necessary.
Männikjärve bog in Endla mire complex in eas- tern Estonia. Drainage ditches (blue lines) on the border area of the mire have initiated a oresta- tion. Once stands begin to grow, the next gene- rations of trees occupy space in the inner part of the mire. e light green spotted line borders the area occupied by young pine trees.
Map of Estonian Landboard.
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TEN REASONS TO RESTORE ESTONIAN MIRES / 2019