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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