What comes to mind when you think of beautiful forests? Probably not peat swamps or bogs. Most forests are crucial in exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide. In peatlands, it plays an even bigger role. These dense, carbon-rich forests can fight climate change.
What are peatlands?
Peatlands are a type of wetland. They include both peat swamps and peat bogs. Peatlands have a lot of decaying matter. Peat itself is organic material that’s piled up. It makes compacted layers. In some places, the undecomposed matter can be several meters thick. And the compact soil is full of water. This creates an environment with minimal oxygen where things decompose slowly.
There’s minimal oxygen in peat soil. Because of this and the watery soil in peatlands, decomposition is slow. The slow decay builds up carbon dioxide. That means carbon dioxide collects in the ground. This creates a carbon-rich environment.
Peat forests cover only 3% of the earth’s surface. Yet they contain 30% more carbon dioxide than other forests. You can find peatlands in most countries around the globe.
Are peatlands important habitats?
Peatlands are also full of animal life. They’re important to threatened mammals and birds. 40% of birds and mammals live and breed in wetlands like peatlands. Over a third of endangered animals and plants live in these habitats. Some of the endangered animals are:
- Bog turtles are the smallest turtles in the US. Right now, they’re critically endangered.
- Wood storks have declined due to habitat loss and invasive species. Thankfully, they’ve gone from endangered to threatened. (Threatened is bad, but endangered is worse.)
- The Florida panther has been on the endangered species list for decades. There are only a few hundred left in the wild.
- Black rails are birds are famous for their night calls. They’re endangered. Black rails are also at a “tipping point”. This means it has lost 50% or more of its population in the past 50 years. Black rails need significant conservation changes. Otherwise, they may lose another 50% of their population in the next 50 years.
What are the threats facing peat forests?
There are several threats to peatlands:
- conversion into farmlands
- mining
- water drainage
These threats pose a danger to climate change. When you drain the water in these forests, they become flammable. Peatlands on fire releases a lot of carbon dioxide. Drained peat forests are also more likely to flood. This can be disastrous for neighboring communities.
As with so many threatened ecosystems, there’s a domino effect. Peat lands have global implications. If we don’t act fast, they’ll continue to dry out. And they’ll keep releasing too much carbon. Then they won’t be helping to fight climate change. Instead, they’ll be contributing to climate change.
What can we do?
Humans have drained 15% of the world’s peatlands. But there’s hope with the Global Peatlands Initiative. Their goal is to improve the conservation and restoration of peatlands. In fact, rehydrating peat swamps and bogs can:
- Restore them as a barrier against flooding
- Allow biodiversity to thrive again
- Help against climate change
Scientists are using several ways to rewet peatlands. They’re creating ditches, blocking drainage ways, and installing pipes to flow water. A great example is the Bennett Swamp in Florida. A project has reclaimed the nearby city’s water. It’s diverted this water to the swamp for rehydration.
Want to know an amazing fact? Restoring peat forests prevents the release of 394 million tons of carbon dioxide per year.
Dogwood Alliance is hard at work to protect Southern wetlands. This includes peatlands like you’ll find in the Okefenokee swamp. You can help right now!