Our peatland project
A brief history of the moor: once a horror story, now a climate hero
What words come to mind when you think of a moor? Eerie, mysterious, dangerous, dark, creepy? That's certainly what people used to think about this impenetrable habitat. This image was further fueled by myths, stories, and legends in which people are simply swallowed up by the moor and never return.
Against this background, it is hardly surprising that people from earlier generations wanted to use these eerie and hostile places to their advantage.
For centuries, bogs were drained for cultivation. Large-scale drainage systems and ditches were used to remove the peat, extract it, and use the reclaimed land for agriculture. Sadly, these areas are lost forever.
But what exactly are moors and
Why don't they just grow back?
Why don't they just grow back?
Peatlands only form where water is abundant. Put simply, they represent a transition between water and land. Due to the high water level, there is a lack of oxygen in the peatland, and the water is also quite acidic. And as we already know from sauerkraut: acidity preserves!
When plants and animals die, they are not completely decomposed, but preserved. Over time, this creates peat, the moorland soil. This process takes a very long time. A healthy moor grows only one millimeter per year, or one meter every 1,000 years. For comparison, a human hair takes just two days to grow one millimeter.
When plants and animals die, they are not completely decomposed, but preserved. Over time, this creates peat, the moorland soil. This process takes a very long time. A healthy moor grows only one millimeter per year, or one meter every 1,000 years. For comparison, a human hair takes just two days to grow one millimeter.
Moore: A treasure,
which needs to be protected
which needs to be protected
Today we understand much more about the moorland ecosystem. In fact, some of the secrets uncovered are truly astonishing:
The moor is a super sponge – during heavy rain, the peat soil absorbs and stores large quantities of water. An effective flood protection measure!
An unusual habitat – many highly endangered animals and plants are perfectly adapted to the conditions in the wetland. Specialized plants like the sundew and many butterfly species, for example, can only be found there. Protecting moorland is therefore also protecting species!
Climate protectors and climate killers – peatlands are highly effective storage sites for greenhouse gases. They cover only about 3% of the Earth's surface, yet they store approximately 30% of the Earth's terrestrial carbon. That's twice as much as all the world's forests combined! They are therefore of crucial importance to our entire climate system.
But this is also where the danger lies – peatlands that dry out become veritable greenhouse gas bombs. This makes the protection and preservation of peatlands worldwide all the more important!
More Moor with Roadtyping
Large parts of Germany were once covered in peat bogs. Today, only 5% of the original peatland areas remain, 20% of which can be found in the Alpine foothills. The non-profit Greensurance Foundation aims to renaturalize (rewette) and preserve regional peatland landscapes in Upper Bavaria. For us, this is a truly fantastic project – which is why we are now proud sponsors of the Trischelfilz peat bog. You are very welcome to visit it sometime; it lies west of Lake Staffelsee near Murnau.
Why don't you try it?
a trip to the moor
a trip to the moor
Why not visit a moorland nature trail sometime? Here are a few tips:
- Ostallgäu:The moor and meadow trail through the Berger Moos near Pfronten-Ried (7km) >>> Click here for the hike- Oberallgäu:A short, leisurely hike through the high moor in the Allgäu Alps near Oberjoch (1.57 km) >>> Click here for the hike- West Allgäu:
A mossy path in Bad Waldsee with former peat extraction and a miniature train (6.6 km) >>> Click here for the hike- Ammergau Alps:The moorland nature trail on the northwestern edge of Bad Kohlgrub with typical mountain pine moorland landscape (1.5 km) >>> Click here for the hike- Chiemsee:Freimoos Moorland Nature Trail, Amerang & Halfing (12.3 km) >>> Click here for the hike
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