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Sustainable Development
Small scale ecosystem case study
– Torfhaus Moor, Harz
Management strategies
 Ecosystems and biodiversity can be managed in a range of different
ways
 There is a spectrum of different management strategies
 Some are sustainable as they balance ecological and human needs
Scientific
Preserve
with no
access for
public
Wildlife
Parks and
Nature
Reserves
National
Parks;
extractive
reserves
Conservati
on and
Developm
ent areas
Sustainable Management
‘Paper
Parks’
Zoos and
Gene
Banks
Torfhaus Moor
Torfhaus Moor
• Some Background Facts about the Peat bogs
• Compared with other central European middle range mountains, a
distinguishing feature of the Harz is the extent of its peaty marshland. The
Upper Harz alone has almost 5 sq km of moor, including the high Torfhaus
Moor (also known as the Radauerborn Moor) that dates back to 8300 bc.
• Although much damage was caused by large-scale peat cutting in the 18th
century, the sites are now protected. The moors are among the most
untouched of the Harz National Park's natural landscape. They provide
unique environments which are gravely endangered, offering special
habitats in which the plant and animal species adapted to these conditions
can survive here.
•
Pollen analysis has enabled a general understanding of the development of
the peatlands, and it is now known that the isolation of the Harz has allowed
the preservation of species over thousands of years. The Brocken anemone,
wolf’s foot, dwarf birches, alpine hawkweed, common bog sedge, emerald
dragonflies and ring ouzels are amongst Ice Age relicts that flourish here.
• The most important moor plants are the peat mosses which form a thick
lawn here. With sufficient moisture they continue to grow in height while the
lower portions die and form peat. In this manner the Great Torfhaus Moor
has built a thick layer of peat measuring 6.5 m maximum depth, seldom
even in the Harz.
• A raised bog gets its water from precipitation. Therefore it is lacking of
nutritive substances. It is called raised bog because of the curvature in its
centre. In comparison, fens get their water from groundwater and surface
water and that is why fens are richer of nutrients than raised bogs. The
development of a raised bog may start with a fen or directly on mineral
subsoil, if it is wet enough.
• Raised bogs form an unique habitat for specialists. Only specially adapted
animals and plants can exist there. The most important plants are the Bog
Mosses, which show a quite unique kind of growth: The more they die off at
their bottom the more they grow to the top. Because of the wetness in the
bogs the organic material does not decompose but forms peat. So the bog
grows up - up to 1 mm (0.04 inches) per year.
• Bog Mosses can afford this kind of growth because they get their nutrients
from rain water only. They have no roots to absorb nutrients. The peat in the
"Großes Torfhausmoor“ reaches an average height of more than 6 m (5.5
yards).
• The varied mosaic of slightly lifted rather dry "Bulten" and water soaked
"Schlenken" in the raised bogs of the Harz Mountains is a habitat for lots of
threatened plants. The Deer Sedge turns the raised bog into a gold-brown
colour in autumn.
The plants of the high moors are especially sensitive to trampling, making the
absolute protection of this area mandatory for its preservation. Too much
damage was already done during the cutting of peat here between 1745 and
1776.
Sustainable Measures
• To protect the sensitive peat bogs the following measures have
been taken
• 1) Guided wooden walkways across the most sensitive areas
• 2) Clear information about the sensitivity of the ecosystem and
species type on the walkways
• 3) Passing places and widened areas for people to rest and enjoy
the environment without damaging it.
• 4) National Park exhibition centre at Torfhaus with education tours
and talks about managing peat bogs
• 5) Monitoring acidity levels in bog waters and species counts
• 6) Restrictions on peat cutting, timber exploitation and water
abstraction
• 7) Cutting back invading species of conifer etc..Fencing off areas if
necessary
• 8) Taking samples of bog and plants to monitor in controlled
environments and conserved. These to be replanted if species
becomes stressed
1) Guided wooden walkways
across the most sensitive
areas
2) Clear information about the
sensitivity of the ecosystem
and species type on the
walkways
3) Passing places and
widened areas for people to
rest and enjoy the environment
without damaging it.
4) National Park exhibition
Prevention
centre at Torfhaus with
education tours and talks
about managing peat bogs
5) Monitoring acidity levels in
bog waters and species counts
6) Restrictions on peat cutting,
timber exploitation and water
abstraction
7) Cutting back invading
species of conifer etc..Fencing
off areas if necessary
8) Taking samples of bog and
plants to monitor in controlled
environments and conserved.
These to be replanted if
species becomes stressed
Intervention
Education