wise use of mires and peatlands - Peatland Ecology Research Group

72 VALUES AND FUCTIONS OF MIRES AND PEATLANDSThe difficulty in accessing peatlands and theirimpenetrability to heavy equipment havealways given them an important role in militarydefence. The present Groote Peel NationalPark (the Netherlands) was saved fromcomplete land reclamation in the 1930sbecause the bog wilderness constituted a partof the Peel-Raam defence line betweenBelgium and the river Meuse 169 . Similarly inthe 1952 Soviet plan for draining the Pripjatmarshes, the significance of the area as afactor against possible future invasion fromthe west was taken into consideration, andcontingency provisions for emergency refloodingof the area were included in theplan 170 .(k) PrisonsBecause of their inaccessibility and isolatedlocation, peatlands have often been used tosite prisons and labour camps. Examplesinclude Veenhuizen in the Fochtelo peatland(the Netherlands), the Nazi concentrationcamps Dachau and the Esterweger Dose/Papenburg complex (Germany), Dartmoor(Britain) and various camps of the GulagArchipelago (Soviet Union).(l) Transport and herding 171Frozen mires in northern countries are usedfor the transport of forestry products. Theyare also used by nomadic peoples to herdreindeer to and from summer grazing grounds.Because of their natural openness, peatlandsare also favoured areas for cross-countryskiing.3.4.3 Regulation functionsThe term ‘regulation function’ summarises allthe processes in natural and semi-naturalecosystems which contribute to themaintenance of a healthy environment byproviding clean air, water and soil 172 . Theprocesses involved can be of biological,biochemical or physical origin. Peatlandshave a function in the regulation of essentialenvironmental processes and life supportsystems; i.e. in the maintenance of adequateclimatic, atmospheric, water, soil, ecologicaland genetic conditions. They may provideclean water, regulate water flow, recycleelements and affect both local and globalclimates.(m) Regulation of the global climate 173Although carbon dioxide emissions fromhuman activities make up only a small fractionof the carbon that cycles annually among theatmosphere, terrestrial plant and animal life,and oceans, these emissions account for theunwanted build-up of atmospheric CO 2.Reducing the emissions associated withenergy production and land use shouldmoderate the rate and reduce the ultimatemagnitude of climate change 174 .Mires act as sinks of atmospheric carbondioxide and peatlands constitute largereservoirs of carbon and nitrogen. Bothpristine mires and re-wetted peatlands emitmethane and nitrous oxide. Drained peatlandsemit carbon dioxide. Because of their extentand the large volumes of carbon stored intheir peat, mires and peatlands play a majorrole in the global carbon balance. This sectiondiscusses how peatlands and their use mayinfluence the global climate. It is a summaryof material in Appendix 2. The statements inthis section are supported by the text, tables,figures, and references in Appendix 2. Thesection is based on information as it is knownat the time of writing of this document. Futureresearch will add to this knowledge.Introduction: The peat formation process isstrongly influenced by climatic conditions,but mire ecosystems themselves also affectthe global climate. The natural effect of climateon mires and mires on climate occurs throughthe so-called greenhouse gases which miresabsorb and emit, and the carbon they store.