Threatened mires and peatlands of the world

page under construction - last update 11-02-2007

Introduction

Mires and peatlands are the most widespread wetland type on earth. They represent 50 to 70 % of the global wetlands. However, mires and peatlands are continuously threatened by human induced drainage and land use change. Their protection requires increasing attention then ever. Therefore this web page is dedicated to enhance information exchange about mires and peatlands under threat.

Therefore IMCG requires your action. If your peatland is currently threatened fill out the form and IMCG will put this information on the web to inform a wider public and to give expertise in all issues of mire and peatland conservation if required.

Participation

Download the threatened mire and peatland site form and send the information via email back to us or fill out the new threatend peatland site online form .

Disclaimer

The information on this site has been checked by IMCG members to their best knowledge. However, we request everybody who disagrees with the information on this site to contact the IMCG secretariat.

Threatened mire and peatland sites of the world

Rospuda river valley, Poland (2007/02/11) U P D A T E
Mallin Bariloche, Argentina (2004/01/12)
Lewis Peatlands, Scotland (2007/02/04) U P D A T E
Via Baltica, Poland (2007/02/11) U P D A T E
Travertine spring fen in Slovakia (2006/0607)

Save Augstumal, Lithuania

Resolution of the Participants of the Conference "Between conservation and exploitation: C.A. Weber and the Augstumalmoor" (Juknaiciai (/Lithuania) 2-6 October 2002

Background information

The Augstumal raised bog is the second largest bog in the Curonian lagoon region with a total area of approximately 2470 ha. The mire / peatland complex is part of the Nemunas delta in the Curonian lagoon. The Nemunas Delta has the status of a Regional Park in Lithuania and is listed as a RAMSAR site. However, in 2001, the eastern part of the bog (1544.1 ha) was excluded from the regional park as a result of active lobbying by the "Silutes durpes" peat enterprises. Since 2001, the Silutes enterprise is exploiting peat in the eastern part of the peatland complex in strong co-operation with the German company Klasmann-Deilmann. The western part of the Augstumal raised bog has still the status of a nature reserve within the Nemunas Delta Regional park.
The western part is still in good ecological and hydrological conditions. The species composition of the hummocks, hollows and pools shows only slight effects of drainage in the central western parts. However the margins of the western part are affected both by small drainage ditches and by the peat extraction in the eastern part. To conserve the western part of the Augstumal raised bog it is necessary to ensure the protection status of the peatland complex for the future at a national and international level, to block the drainage ditches in the western part and to establish a large enough buffer zone against the peat extraction site in the eastern part.
Please explain your concerns about the future of the Augstumal raised bog to the peat extraction company Klasmann-Deilmann, the Nemunas Delta Regional Park management and the Lithuanian Government.