The restoration will increase biodiversity along with enhancing the habitat in the restored land by removing trees that have grown in the area after drainage.
January 31, 2022
Stora Enso and Tornator will restore 1,000 hectares of low forest cover peatland in eastern and southern Finland between 2022 and 2027. The restoration will increase biodiversity along with enhancing the habitat in the restored land by removing trees that have grown in the area after drainage. After harvesting, ditches will be blocked to raise the water level in the peatland.
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Speaking on the restoration initiative, Niina Partanen, Environmental Manager at Stora Enso, comments, “Restoring peatland to an as natural state as possible starts with harvesting when the ground is frozen and able to support forestry machinery. After the restoration measures, the drained peatland will, in the long term, recover to its natural state. We will use the harvested wood for renewable and recyclable products that replace fossil-based raw materials.”
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In the long term, with the restoration of low forest cover peatland, the amount of carbon sequestered in peat will increase. Improving peatland habitat will contribute to the recovery of vegetation and other species, the condition of the waterways beneath peatlands, and thus, for example, the recreational use of lakes. At the same time, berry picking and hunting opportunities in these areas will be improved.
