PEATLAND FORESTRYWhere are we now?

Juhani Päivänen

University of Helsinki

Feb. 13-15, 2009

Renewable resource of wood

• Mires and peatlands form an important renewable resource of wood.

• This resource is partly actual and even more so potential.

Peatland forestry

• refers to an operational scale forestry management on either undrained mires or drained peatlands.

• main function with peatland forestry is to grow and harvest wood as raw material for any purpose beneficial for man.

Intensity levels of peatland forestry

• Conservation

• Exploitation

• Single tree selection (continuous cover)

• Progressive management

CONSERVATION

• NON-WOOD BENEFITS– THE RENEWABLE RESOURCE FORMED

BY FORESTS GROWING ON PRISTINE MIRES IS NOT USED

EXPLOITATION

• TREE HARVESTING WITH INADEQUATE TAKE-CARE OF REGENERATION– RISE IN WATER TABLE LEVEL– REDUCTION IN THE RENEWABLE RESOURCE FORM BY

TREE STANDS GROWING ON PRISTINE MIRES

Ontario, Canada,Aug. 1980

Sustainable managementin Ontario, Canada

Progressive managementin Finland

Multiple use

• Unlike most other forms of mire utilization (e.g. agriculture, peat harvesting), peatland forestry does not exclude multiple use of the area.

• Thus in countries following the every man's rights (rights of access) the areas drained for forestry are open for out-door activities including berry and mushroom picking, hiking, orienteering etc.

• The areas can also been used for hunting. However, the laws controlling hunting privileges differ greatly between countries.

Country-wise preferences

• The intensity of mire utilization for forestry varies from country to country depending on the abundance and nature of peatlands, the demand for raw wood, silvicultural management practices and traditions, countryside infrastructure, etc.

• It is assumed that in the political entity (province, state or country) there is a legal and administrative structure within which decisions on peatland utilization can be taken.

• Total area of mires• (tropical mires excluded)

• max. 500 mill. ha

• min. 400 mill. ha

• Drained for forestry

• 3.0 %

• 3.8 %