CONTINUOUS COVER FORESTRY ON PEATLAND

Selective felling without full ditch network maintenance is implemented for studying forest regeneration and greenhouse gas fluxes in nutrient rich peatland spruce forest. Conventional clear cut and uncut plots are used as cOmparison.​

Potential benefits of continuous forest cover forestry practices:​

  1. Lower impact to environment conditions in forest stand  ​
  2. Remaining tree stand evapotranspiration controls soil water-table
  3. Reduced/no need for ditch network maintenance
  4. Reduced change in soil CO2 emission after harvesting
  5. Reduced inputs of water and plant nutrients to surface water bodies

The LIFE OrgBalt project aims to implement a wide range of innovative organic soil management measures to demonstrate how these areas can be managed sustainably, taking into account economic, social and climate aspects. 16 project demonstration sites have been established in Latvia and Finland. LIFE OrgBalt studies greenhouse gas emissions from managed organic soils – In total 51 sites are measured – they include all project demonstration sites and reference sites.