Pellikka, Petri

In English

Petri Pellikka

Suopohjat kierrätykseen - mitä tehdä vanhoilla turvetuotantoalueilla?

Pellikka P. Suopohjat kierrätykseen - mitä tehdä vanhoilla turvetuotantoalueilla?

Tiivistelmä

An important topic among peat producers, nature conservationists and scientists is the reuse of approximately 50 000 hectares of peat production areas which will be abandoned in next ten years. Depending on the soil properties, thickness of the remained peat, geomorphology of the soil and bedrock and ground water characteristics, there are many options to choose from. The most typical reuse of those areas has been afforestration, but depending on the soil properties, the land is suitable also for agriculture of various forms, such as cereal, potato, strawberry or cranberry farming to name but a few. In lake poor areas, such as Southern Ostrobothnia, the areas can be transformed to lakes for recreation or bird hunting purposes. The most important thing is to do something since without care; these areas will transform themselves into useless bushland. The reuse is great environmental issue, but also an economical issue for distant peat producing regions of Finland. Reuse of peat production areas was discussed in a mire seminar held on February 2, 2001 in Jalasjärvi, Southern Ostrobothnia, Finland. This report briefly outlines the topics discussed in the seminar. Geological Survey of Finland has been carrying out pilot-projects, in which the soil and ground water properties of several peat production areas are surveyed by using GPS receivers and ground penetrating radar in order to find out most suitable use. The results and possible choices of reuse are visualised using GIS enabling decision making. Construction of lakes is considered important in lake-poor areas for balancing the discharge, for migrating birds and for recreation hunting. For afforestration, the large, flat peat production areas with extreme wind and illumination conditions are difficult areas, since lot of fertilizers are needed and the thin peat layer is easily burned by sun and blown away by wind. The areas are very suitable for organic farming in a way that no fertilizers have been added to the soil after the last ice age. In environmental sense, the most important principles are protection of water resources and hydrology, increasing the biodiversity and creation of sink for greenhouse gases. In order to do this, the only choices are afforestration or reintroduction of mires. However, it is also essential that infrastructure constructed for peat production (roads, ditches and electricity) could be of use after peat is lifted.

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