Peatland Restoration

Peatlands are a type of inland wetland where waterlogged soils prevent plant material from fully decomposing. There are two types of peatlands: tropical peatlands, characterized by high precipitation and temperature, and northern peatlands, which are interspersed among boreal forests and coastal areas (IPS n.d.b.). The United States is home only to northern peatlands, which are primarily found in Alaska, the Great Lakes region, New England, and the Atlantic Coastal Plain (MN DNR 2023, Minasny et al. 2019). Sphagnum moss is the building block of peatlands, with layers of moss growing over water and providing a foundation on which other plants can grow (Andreozzi n.d.). Peatlands, which include bogs, fens, and peat swamps, are vital carbon sinks, with twice as much carbon stored in peatlands as in all the world’s terrestrial forests. Peatlands are on the decline, with 35% of peatlands lost globally since 1970 (Kopansky 2019). To reverse this trend, peatland restoration and conservation projects aim to rehabilitate peatlands to their natural state as carbon sinks. Most peatland restoration projects involve altering the hydrology of the site to rewet the peat. Techniques often used include installing peat dams, plastic piling and bundling, water control structures, and transferring sphagnum moss into the site (IPS n.d.a)