Suggestions for new IMCG Postcards
On this page,
you see
the pictures and informations we received for a new
series of IMCG postcards.
Picture 2: Canada - Photo: Simon Thibault: Mire patterning in northern Québec, near Kuujjuarapik.
Picture 3: Estonia - Photo: Simon Thibault: Birches in a large bog, Sooma National Park, Estonia.
Picture 4: Canada - Photo: Simon Thibault: Eriophorum vaginatum var spissum, near La Romaine, Québec.
Picture 5: Finland - Photo: Antti Huttunen: Silver-studded Blues on Cloudberry
A party of Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus L.) forming a crown on Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus L.) in a raised bog part of Hirvisuo ("Moose Mire"). The Hirvisuo aapa mire (North-Central Finland, ~ 65 14' N, 26 15' E, ~ 120 m a.s.l.) with several ombrotrophic parts and poor marginal belts is of marked importance for local people due to cloudberries, "the Golden Bog Berry". The main part (~ 4500 ha) of the mire is state owned and protected as Mire Reserve and Natura 2000 Programme. Hirvisuo is a platform for ecohydrological studies, and the southern corner of the mire served as a visiting site for IMCG field symposium in Finland 2006.
.
Picture 6: France - Photo: Michael Trepel: Dead pine tree in a foggy french mire.
Picture 7: Germany - Photo: Michael Trepel: Alder trees struggling with water level drop down.
Picture 8: Argentina - Photo: Michael Trepel: Drowned sheep in a peatland ditch. Wise use of peatlands requires laws for land and water management.
Picture 9: Argentina - Photo: Michael Trepel: Patterned peatland in Argentina.
Picture 10: Finland - Photo: Pascal Demaziere: Aapa mire in Finland.
Picture 11: Finland - Photo: Pascal Demaziere: Saxifraga hirculus.
Picture 12: West-Siberia - Photo: Pascal Demaziere: Natural mire system in West-Siberia.
Picture 13: Finland - Photo: Pascal Demaziere: Field discussion during IMCG excursion.
Picture 14: Bell Crag Flow, Northumberland, United Kingdom, Europe - Photo: Duncan Hutt:
Picture 15: Argentina - Photo: Olivier Luc Olgiati: Azolla pattern in peatland on Tierra del Fuego.
Picture 16: Argentina - Photo: Olivier Luc Olgiati: Patterned peatland in Argentina.
Picture 17: Argentina - Photo: Olivier Luc Olgiati: Carbajal mire- Tierra del Fuego.
Picture 18: Russia - Photo: Olivier Luc Olgiati: Dragonfly in Lena wetland.
Picture 19: Germany - Photo: Olivier Luc Olgiati: Kieshofer Mire.
Picture 20: Finland - Photo: Antti Huttunen:
Seasonal aro wetland of Polytrichum commune type found in a bay of a southern aapa mire (North-Central Finland, ~ 65 14' N, 26 30' E, ~ 120 m a.s.l.). The wetland of minimal peat layer is formed as a kind of "negative seepage" on a permeable esker formation.
The dark bases of the pine trunks in the photo from mid July show the maximum melt water level in early June.
Local people call this site "The Paradise", not only due its nice outlook but having for once an easy wetland to go over.
The ecohydrological setting of the whole mire system has been reconsidered, and the boundaries of the present Mire Reserve now include also these formerly poorly known wetland types.
Picture 21: Ireland - Photo: Chris Reid:
These are some photos of our restoration work and of the area we manage. They are all taken on Cuilcagh Mt which is part of Marble Arch Caves European Geopark in Northern Ireland.
We have been restoring and managing an area of upland blanket bog for over 10 years now and have been very successful. The site is Ramsar designated and is an SAC.
Picture 22: Ireland - Photo: Chris Reid:
These are some photos of our restoration work and of the area we manage. They are all taken on Cuilcagh Mt which is part of Marble Arch Caves European Geopark in Northern Ireland.
We have been restoring and managing an area of upland blanket bog for over 10 years now and have been very successful. The site is Ramsar designated and is an SAC.
Picture 23: Ireland - Photo: Chris Reid:
These are some photos of our restoration work and of the area we manage. They are all taken on Cuilcagh Mt which is part of Marble Arch Caves European Geopark in Northern Ireland.
We have been restoring and managing an area of upland blanket bog for over 10 years now and have been very successful. The site is Ramsar designated and is an SAC.
Picture 24: Finland - Photo: Antti Huttunen:
The climate of the uplands in North-East Finland is hygricly enough oceanic (though thermally
continental) to favor paludification even of the fell slopes. The heart of slope mires is at Riisitunturi
fells, where the vegetation is rather poor consisting of drought tolerant communities dominating
by Trichophorum cespitosum and Sphagnum compactum. Such a thin-peated lawn level site
(66 13' N, 28 33' E, ~ 400 m a.s.l.) at Riisitunturi in the picture is slightly variegated by small seepages, as typical. The topographic mires at Riisitunturi were an essential reason to form the National Park to these uplands.
Picture 25: Finland - Photo: Antti Huttunen:
Soininsuo (locally Soijinsuo) aapa mire in North-Central Finland (65 34' N, 26 50' E, ~ 125 m a.s.l.) forms
a large flarky pristine complex, interrupted by forest islands in places. In general, the vegetation is rather
poor; still it contains nine habitat types, which belong to European Union Directives. Avifauna of the mire is
representative consisting of various waders and birds of prey, for instance. The name Soijinsuo refers to
place where birds (preferably black grouse, Tetrao tetrix) have their mating party. The mire belongs to a
Mire Reserve, and is protected by the Natura 2000 Programme.
Picture 29: Poland - Photo: Andrzej Ginalski: Moss, water and peat underneath: in Polesie National Park in Poland – the only lake district in the country situated outside the area covered by ice during the last glacial period. It is also Ramsar site and the core area of UNESCO MaB Biosphere Reserve at the same time.
Picture 32: Switzerland - Photo: Edward Mitchell: Mire northeast of Hochräjen, a small mire located at the treeline at 1885m in the Pre-Alps (46° 36'43"N; 7°58'10"E). The mire is dominated by the spectacular North face of Eiger (3995m).
Picture 33: Switzerland - Photo: Edward Mitchell: Mire northeast of Hochräjen, a small mire located at the treeline at 1885m in the Pre-Alps (46°36'43"N; 7°58'10"E). The mire developed in a small depression and is surrounded by Norway Spruce forest.
Picture 34: Switzerland - Photo: Edward Mitchell: Praz-Rodet, is a small bog about 5 ha in size situated at the south-western end of the Joux Valley near the western border of Switzerland (46°33'54"N lat, 6°10'21"E long. 1035 m a.s.l.). This mire contains one of the largest pools with Scheuzeria palustris, Carex limosa and Sphagnum cuspidatum in the region.
Picture 35: Switzerland - Photo: Edward Mitchell: Praz-Rodet, is a small bog about 5 ha in size situated at the south-western end of the Joux Valley near the western border of Switzerland (46°33'54"N lat, 6°10'21"E long. 1035 m a.s.l.). Pine (Pinus rotundata) trees cover almost all the mire surface with the exception of the centre where small surfaces of open vegetation with hummock-hollow topography remain.
Picture 36: The Netherlands - Photo: Gert Jan van Duinen: Mire regeneration in Mariapeel Nature Reserve, The Netherlands.
Picture 37: Finland - Photo: Gert Jan van Duinen: Idas or Silver-Studded Blue butterflies foraging on sedge flowers in Levaneva mire, Finland.
Picture 38: Estonia - Photo: Gert Jan van Duinen: Bog pools in Nigula bog, Estonia.
Picture 39: Germany - Photo: Hans Joosten: Sun dew.
Picture 40: Germany - Photo: Hans Joosten: The future: peat moss cultivation (in front) as an alternative for fossil peat (background) in horticulture.
Picture 41: Poland - Photo: Kamila Brzezińska, Wetland Conservation Centre (CMok): Percolation fen in Rospuda valley (north-east Poland, Europe) – the last nearly pristine big percolation mire of the European temporal zone.
The Rospuda valley contains groundwater-fed fens with undisturbed hydrological conditions which results in an existence of huge areas of open mires covered by sedge-moss vegetation. The hydrological system bearing no signs of human-made disturbances guarantees the stable, long lasting existence of unique habitats together with the plant and animal relying on them. It is one of the few places in Europe (if not the best) to experience landscape, ecology and species of nearly pristine percolation mire – a type of mire which used to be typical for European temporal zone but (mainly due to agricultural use) has almost disappeared from the European landscape. The Rospuda valley is for several years under threat of being cut by an express road through the middle of the mire. These plans have been criticized by a number of local and international NGOs, public authorities and the scientific community, including IMCG, leading in 2007 to an intervention of the European Commission at the European Court of Justice. In 2008, the new Polish government initiated a procedure to analyze alternative routes of the road outside of the pristine mire. Still however, the final decision has not been made.
You can find more information of the Rospuda valley on IMSG website: http://www.imcg.net
Picture 42: Poland - Photo: Kamila Brzezińska, Wetland Conservation Centre (CMok): Percolation fen in Rospuda valley (north-east Poland, Europe) – the last nearly pristine big percolation mire of the European temporal zone.
Picture 43: Poland - Photo: Kamila Brzezińska, Wetland Conservation Centre (CMok): Percolation fen in Rospuda valley (north-east Poland, Europe) – the last nearly pristine big percolation mire of the European temporal zone.
Picture 44: Poland - Photo: Kamila Brzezińska, Wetland Conservation Centre (CMok): Percolation fen in Rospuda valley (north-east Poland, Europe) – the last nearly pristine big percolation mire of the European temporal zone.
Picture 45: Georgia - Photo: Izolda Matchutadze: Imnati mire between Lake Palaeostomi and the Caucasus Mountains.
Picture 46: Serbia - Photo: Predrag Lazarevic: Small fen with a lake on the Golija Mt. in Serbia. Strictly protected area .
Picture 47: Serbia - Photo: Predrag Lazarevic: Pestersko polje-peat extraction. The main problem for the preservation of this biodiversity very important area is existing peat extraction.
Picture 48: Serbia - Photo: Predrag Lazarevic: Pestersko polje-spontaneous recovering of vegetation. This picture shows the spontaneous recovering of the wetland vegetation after peat extracting.
Picture 49: Serbia - Photo: Predrag Lazarevic: Pestersko polje. It is the largest karst plateau in Serbia with one of the largest remaining peatland complexes in both Serbia and the Balkans. Aquatic and wetland habitats dominate over large peaty areas covering the surface of karst plateau (50 km²). It is designated as IPA, IBA, Ramsar, and EMERALD site, and the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia is currently conducting a nature conservation assessment of the area.
Picture 1: Finland -
Photo:
Simon Thibault: Recently
forming permafrost in northern Finland near Kevo Scientific Research
Station. This permafrost aggradation is due to an increase in
windstorms occurrence, minimizing the snow cover.
Picture 2: Canada - Photo: Simon Thibault: Mire patterning in northern Québec, near Kuujjuarapik.
Picture 3: Estonia - Photo: Simon Thibault: Birches in a large bog, Sooma National Park, Estonia.
Picture 4: Canada - Photo: Simon Thibault: Eriophorum vaginatum var spissum, near La Romaine, Québec.
Picture 5: Finland - Photo: Antti Huttunen: Silver-studded Blues on Cloudberry
A party of Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus L.) forming a crown on Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus L.) in a raised bog part of Hirvisuo ("Moose Mire"). The Hirvisuo aapa mire (North-Central Finland, ~ 65 14' N, 26 15' E, ~ 120 m a.s.l.) with several ombrotrophic parts and poor marginal belts is of marked importance for local people due to cloudberries, "the Golden Bog Berry". The main part (~ 4500 ha) of the mire is state owned and protected as Mire Reserve and Natura 2000 Programme. Hirvisuo is a platform for ecohydrological studies, and the southern corner of the mire served as a visiting site for IMCG field symposium in Finland 2006.
.
Picture 6: France - Photo: Michael Trepel: Dead pine tree in a foggy french mire.
Picture 7: Germany - Photo: Michael Trepel: Alder trees struggling with water level drop down.
Picture 8: Argentina - Photo: Michael Trepel: Drowned sheep in a peatland ditch. Wise use of peatlands requires laws for land and water management.
Picture 9: Argentina - Photo: Michael Trepel: Patterned peatland in Argentina.
Picture 10: Finland - Photo: Pascal Demaziere: Aapa mire in Finland.
Picture 11: Finland - Photo: Pascal Demaziere: Saxifraga hirculus.
Picture 12: West-Siberia - Photo: Pascal Demaziere: Natural mire system in West-Siberia.
Picture 13: Finland - Photo: Pascal Demaziere: Field discussion during IMCG excursion.
Picture 14: Bell Crag Flow, Northumberland, United Kingdom, Europe - Photo: Duncan Hutt:
Bell Crag Flow is one of a
number of
mires scattered throughout the north west of Northumberland and north
of Cumbria: collectively they make up the Border Mires. There are
over 50 of these bog sites ranging from small relics to those which
cover hundreds of hectares. Much of the surrounding landscape
is
plantation forestry of Kielder Forest.
This site has been cut for peat in the past, leaving many scars across the bog and though the business never succeeded the damage was already done. Restoration work has involved the blocking of many large drainage ditches and removal of plantation forestry from the edges. A section of boardwalk has also been built to allow access for educational visits to the site.
The Border Mires are important areas for species such as the large heath butterfly (Coenonympha tullia) and collectively are the stronghold for this species in England. In summer the bog pools are alive with dragonflies and damselflies while the bog itself is important for plants such as bog rosemary (Andromeda polifolia), greater sundew (Drosera anglica) and cranberry (Vacciniun oxycoccus).
Work on this and the other Border Mires is a partnership between Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Forestry Commission, NorthumberlandNational Park Authority, Natural England, University of Newcastle and the Ministry of Defence.
This site has been cut for peat in the past, leaving many scars across the bog and though the business never succeeded the damage was already done. Restoration work has involved the blocking of many large drainage ditches and removal of plantation forestry from the edges. A section of boardwalk has also been built to allow access for educational visits to the site.
The Border Mires are important areas for species such as the large heath butterfly (Coenonympha tullia) and collectively are the stronghold for this species in England. In summer the bog pools are alive with dragonflies and damselflies while the bog itself is important for plants such as bog rosemary (Andromeda polifolia), greater sundew (Drosera anglica) and cranberry (Vacciniun oxycoccus).
Work on this and the other Border Mires is a partnership between Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Forestry Commission, NorthumberlandNational Park Authority, Natural England, University of Newcastle and the Ministry of Defence.
Picture 15: Argentina - Photo: Olivier Luc Olgiati: Azolla pattern in peatland on Tierra del Fuego.
Picture 16: Argentina - Photo: Olivier Luc Olgiati: Patterned peatland in Argentina.
Picture 17: Argentina - Photo: Olivier Luc Olgiati: Carbajal mire- Tierra del Fuego.
Picture 18: Russia - Photo: Olivier Luc Olgiati: Dragonfly in Lena wetland.
Picture 19: Germany - Photo: Olivier Luc Olgiati: Kieshofer Mire.
Picture 20: Finland - Photo: Antti Huttunen:
Seasonal aro wetland of Polytrichum commune type found in a bay of a southern aapa mire (North-Central Finland, ~ 65 14' N, 26 30' E, ~ 120 m a.s.l.). The wetland of minimal peat layer is formed as a kind of "negative seepage" on a permeable esker formation.
The dark bases of the pine trunks in the photo from mid July show the maximum melt water level in early June.
Local people call this site "The Paradise", not only due its nice outlook but having for once an easy wetland to go over.
The ecohydrological setting of the whole mire system has been reconsidered, and the boundaries of the present Mire Reserve now include also these formerly poorly known wetland types.
Picture 21: Ireland - Photo: Chris Reid:
These are some photos of our restoration work and of the area we manage. They are all taken on Cuilcagh Mt which is part of Marble Arch Caves European Geopark in Northern Ireland.
We have been restoring and managing an area of upland blanket bog for over 10 years now and have been very successful. The site is Ramsar designated and is an SAC.
Picture 22: Ireland - Photo: Chris Reid:
These are some photos of our restoration work and of the area we manage. They are all taken on Cuilcagh Mt which is part of Marble Arch Caves European Geopark in Northern Ireland.
We have been restoring and managing an area of upland blanket bog for over 10 years now and have been very successful. The site is Ramsar designated and is an SAC.
Picture 23: Ireland - Photo: Chris Reid:
These are some photos of our restoration work and of the area we manage. They are all taken on Cuilcagh Mt which is part of Marble Arch Caves European Geopark in Northern Ireland.
We have been restoring and managing an area of upland blanket bog for over 10 years now and have been very successful. The site is Ramsar designated and is an SAC.
Picture 24: Finland - Photo: Antti Huttunen:
The climate of the uplands in North-East Finland is hygricly enough oceanic (though thermally
continental) to favor paludification even of the fell slopes. The heart of slope mires is at Riisitunturi
fells, where the vegetation is rather poor consisting of drought tolerant communities dominating
by Trichophorum cespitosum and Sphagnum compactum. Such a thin-peated lawn level site
(66 13' N, 28 33' E, ~ 400 m a.s.l.) at Riisitunturi in the picture is slightly variegated by small seepages, as typical. The topographic mires at Riisitunturi were an essential reason to form the National Park to these uplands.
Picture 25: Finland - Photo: Antti Huttunen:
Soininsuo (locally Soijinsuo) aapa mire in North-Central Finland (65 34' N, 26 50' E, ~ 125 m a.s.l.) forms
a large flarky pristine complex, interrupted by forest islands in places. In general, the vegetation is rather
poor; still it contains nine habitat types, which belong to European Union Directives. Avifauna of the mire is
representative consisting of various waders and birds of prey, for instance. The name Soijinsuo refers to
place where birds (preferably black grouse, Tetrao tetrix) have their mating party. The mire belongs to a
Mire Reserve, and is protected by the Natura 2000 Programme.
Picture 26: Poland -
Photo: Monika Szewczyk: Biebrza
Valley, Poland, Europe, mowing of mires for preventing an invasion of
Phragmites australis, an example form Biebrza Valley (Bagno Lawki).
Picture 27: Poland -
Photo: Monika Szewczyk: Forest
succession on a raised bog.,
Picture 28: Czech
Republic -
Photo: Andrzej Ginalski: Jezerni
slat’ – vast raised peat-bog in Sumava National
Park, the
Czech Republic. Peat layer thickness reaches 7,5 m. It is situated at
an altitude of 1058-1075 m a.s.l. in Zone I (zone of strict
protection), nature reserve since 1933. Many post-glacial species.
Picture 29: Poland - Photo: Andrzej Ginalski: Moss, water and peat underneath: in Polesie National Park in Poland – the only lake district in the country situated outside the area covered by ice during the last glacial period. It is also Ramsar site and the core area of UNESCO MaB Biosphere Reserve at the same time.
Picture 30: Poland -
Photo: Andrzej Ginalski: Horsetail
“woodland" in Polesie National Park in Poland
Picture 31: Poland -
Photo: Andrzej Ginalski:
Mire with Bog Arum (Calla palustris) in the front: in Polesie National Park in Poland
Mire with Bog Arum (Calla palustris) in the front: in Polesie National Park in Poland
Picture 32: Switzerland - Photo: Edward Mitchell: Mire northeast of Hochräjen, a small mire located at the treeline at 1885m in the Pre-Alps (46° 36'43"N; 7°58'10"E). The mire is dominated by the spectacular North face of Eiger (3995m).
Picture 33: Switzerland - Photo: Edward Mitchell: Mire northeast of Hochräjen, a small mire located at the treeline at 1885m in the Pre-Alps (46°36'43"N; 7°58'10"E). The mire developed in a small depression and is surrounded by Norway Spruce forest.
Picture 34: Switzerland - Photo: Edward Mitchell: Praz-Rodet, is a small bog about 5 ha in size situated at the south-western end of the Joux Valley near the western border of Switzerland (46°33'54"N lat, 6°10'21"E long. 1035 m a.s.l.). This mire contains one of the largest pools with Scheuzeria palustris, Carex limosa and Sphagnum cuspidatum in the region.
Picture 35: Switzerland - Photo: Edward Mitchell: Praz-Rodet, is a small bog about 5 ha in size situated at the south-western end of the Joux Valley near the western border of Switzerland (46°33'54"N lat, 6°10'21"E long. 1035 m a.s.l.). Pine (Pinus rotundata) trees cover almost all the mire surface with the exception of the centre where small surfaces of open vegetation with hummock-hollow topography remain.
Picture 36: The Netherlands - Photo: Gert Jan van Duinen: Mire regeneration in Mariapeel Nature Reserve, The Netherlands.
Picture 37: Finland - Photo: Gert Jan van Duinen: Idas or Silver-Studded Blue butterflies foraging on sedge flowers in Levaneva mire, Finland.
Picture 38: Estonia - Photo: Gert Jan van Duinen: Bog pools in Nigula bog, Estonia.
Picture 39: Germany - Photo: Hans Joosten: Sun dew.
Picture 40: Germany - Photo: Hans Joosten: The future: peat moss cultivation (in front) as an alternative for fossil peat (background) in horticulture.
Picture 41: Poland - Photo: Kamila Brzezińska, Wetland Conservation Centre (CMok): Percolation fen in Rospuda valley (north-east Poland, Europe) – the last nearly pristine big percolation mire of the European temporal zone.
The Rospuda valley contains groundwater-fed fens with undisturbed hydrological conditions which results in an existence of huge areas of open mires covered by sedge-moss vegetation. The hydrological system bearing no signs of human-made disturbances guarantees the stable, long lasting existence of unique habitats together with the plant and animal relying on them. It is one of the few places in Europe (if not the best) to experience landscape, ecology and species of nearly pristine percolation mire – a type of mire which used to be typical for European temporal zone but (mainly due to agricultural use) has almost disappeared from the European landscape. The Rospuda valley is for several years under threat of being cut by an express road through the middle of the mire. These plans have been criticized by a number of local and international NGOs, public authorities and the scientific community, including IMCG, leading in 2007 to an intervention of the European Commission at the European Court of Justice. In 2008, the new Polish government initiated a procedure to analyze alternative routes of the road outside of the pristine mire. Still however, the final decision has not been made.
You can find more information of the Rospuda valley on IMSG website: http://www.imcg.net
Picture 42: Poland - Photo: Kamila Brzezińska, Wetland Conservation Centre (CMok): Percolation fen in Rospuda valley (north-east Poland, Europe) – the last nearly pristine big percolation mire of the European temporal zone.
Picture 43: Poland - Photo: Kamila Brzezińska, Wetland Conservation Centre (CMok): Percolation fen in Rospuda valley (north-east Poland, Europe) – the last nearly pristine big percolation mire of the European temporal zone.
Picture 44: Poland - Photo: Kamila Brzezińska, Wetland Conservation Centre (CMok): Percolation fen in Rospuda valley (north-east Poland, Europe) – the last nearly pristine big percolation mire of the European temporal zone.
Picture 45: Georgia - Photo: Izolda Matchutadze: Imnati mire between Lake Palaeostomi and the Caucasus Mountains.
Picture 46: Serbia - Photo: Predrag Lazarevic: Small fen with a lake on the Golija Mt. in Serbia. Strictly protected area .
Picture 47: Serbia - Photo: Predrag Lazarevic: Pestersko polje-peat extraction. The main problem for the preservation of this biodiversity very important area is existing peat extraction.
Picture 48: Serbia - Photo: Predrag Lazarevic: Pestersko polje-spontaneous recovering of vegetation. This picture shows the spontaneous recovering of the wetland vegetation after peat extracting.
Picture 49: Serbia - Photo: Predrag Lazarevic: Pestersko polje. It is the largest karst plateau in Serbia with one of the largest remaining peatland complexes in both Serbia and the Balkans. Aquatic and wetland habitats dominate over large peaty areas covering the surface of karst plateau (50 km²). It is designated as IPA, IBA, Ramsar, and EMERALD site, and the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia is currently conducting a nature conservation assessment of the area.