Peat cover stories

Peatlands across Europe

Like the global peatland map, a peatland map of Europe was produced because spatially explicit information on peatlands was needed to raise awareness, to assess their ecosystem values, functions and losses, and to develop and implement strategies for their protection and wise use. The peatland map of Europe is based on national datasets, and therefore on country-specific definitions of peatland. For example, in the Netherlands peatlands are mapped when the peat layer thickness is > 40 cm, whereas in European Russia peatlands are mapped when the thickness is < 30 cm. In other European countries, peatlands may be classified on the basis of the geological map, on which fens (“Niedermoor”) and bogs (“Hochmoor”) have been mapped (Germany).

The occurrence of peatland broadly reflects the influence of rainfall and temperature, with less peatland occurring where summer temperatures are higher and rainfall is lower. The distribution of peatland in Europe is therefore strongly imbalanced, with much more peatland in the north than in the south.

DID YOU KNOW THAT …

• Europe’s peatlands cover nearly 600,000 km² – an area larger than Spain?
• Finland has the highest proportion of peatland in Europe, with peatlands covering almost 27% of the country?
• many European peatlands have disappeared because of drainage, agriculture, and peat extraction?
• there is no single European definition of peatland, because countries use different historical and scientific criteria?
• some countries still have almost entirely natural peatlands, while others have lost most of their active mires?
• European Russia contains by far the largest peatland area in Europe, with an estimated 235,000 km² of peatland?
• peatlands are important not only for climate regulation, but also for biodiversity, water storage, and other soil services?
• 7,3 % of the Netherlands’ surface area consists of peatlands?