Status and restoration of peatlands in northern Europe

Environmental management of peatlands, landscape ecology and protection of key biotopes have created needs and pressure to restore drained peatlands to natural mire ecosystems. Here, we summarize different approaches and restoration techniques developed for peatland management in Estonia, Sweden, and Finland where peatlands are abundant. Without rewetting, plant colonisation on abandoned cut-away areas is slow due to harsh hydrological and microclimatic conditions. However, after restoration, cut-away peatlands may return to a functional state close to that of pristine mires, and therefore restore a net carbon sink function within a few years. In addition, restoration techniques can help to create buffer zones between terrestrial and limnic ecosystems that reduces the nutrient loading imposed on watercourses by forestry operations. Restoration may also be important for peatland conservation programs as drained peatlands are part of present and future conservation areas. Finally, restoration actions in themselves can have negative environmental impacts. For instance, inundation of peat surfaces resulting from the rewetting process often increases phosphorus leaching. Efforts on peatland restoration should focus on environmental monitoring, research on restoration and its environmental impact as well as public relations activities. In that respect, knowledge transfer between academics and managers should generate synergy benefits.