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Bogs at the End of the World

In December 2005, Patrick Crushell represented IPCC at an International Mire Conservation Group (IMCG) symposium in Tierra Del Fuego (TdF), Argentina. The aim of the symposium was to stimulate conservation and wise use of peatlands in this part of the world. The trip included a 9 day study tour to see some of the most spectacular peatlands of the region. The tour was followed by a conference at which Mr. Crushell made a presentation on the conservation of peatlands in Ireland and also on the research work he is undertaking on Ireland's most important peatland - Clara Bog, Co. Offaly. The following is an account of his experience in this far off corner of the world.

After a long series of flights from Ireland I eventually arrived in Ushuaia, the most southern city in the world. On arrival, our hosts treated us to a cocktail reception followed by some traditional Argentinean tango! In all there were 55 delegates from 21 countries and 5 continents comprising; research scientists, government agency professionals and conservationists.

Map showing the locations of the raised and blanket bogs visited by Patrick Crushell during the 2005 field symposium to the area. Photo: © P. Crushell

THE BOGS OF TIERRA DEL FUEGO
On the first day we travelled to Tierra del Fuego National Park where we visited a number of raised bogs. These pristine bogs are among the only peatlands on the whole island that are currently protected for nature conservation.

The most striking thing about the bogs is the brilliant red appearance (I could even see this from the plane as it flew in to land, the vivid color gives a most artificial appearance); this is due to the vegetation being dominated by the large red bog moss Sphagnum magellanicum. This distinctive bog moss grows everywhere on the bog forming a complete red carpet. In Ireland we also find this spectacular red moss but it is restricted to particularly wet areas on the bog. The reason for the complete dominance of this moss on the Argentinean bogs was the subject of much debate amongst the participants throughout the study tour.

The other most remarkable feature of the bog that I noticed was the natural margin marking out the boundary of the bog from the surrounding land. This contrasts with Ireland, where we can no longer see such a natural margin to a bog. I could imagine for the first time what the bogs of Ireland might have looked like prior to peat cutting occurring around the edges - large mounds of peat rising up suddenly out of the surrounding green countryside The margin of the bog (known as the 'rand') is a natural steep slope where the bog rises up out of the mineral soil.

Figure 1: Natural Margin to a raised bog in Tierra del Fuego, showing the natural boundary of a raised bog. Photo: © P. Crushell

The plants of the area are all different species than those that occur on European bogs but it is clear that the general ecology is very similar; for example, in wet hollows in Ireland we have a species known as Bog Asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum), in Tierra del Fuego a plant known as Arrow Rush (Tetroncium magellanicum) looks almost identical and grows in the we hollows also. There are many examples of this; the most common heather species is Red Crowberry (Empetrum rubrum), which occurs in the drier areas like Ling Heather (Calluna vulgaris) in Ireland; another example is the Single Flowered Sundew (Drosera uniflora) similar to our round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia).

Over the course of the week we visited many spectacular peatlands and none more so than the patterned bog of the Andorra valley. The surface of the bog has an amazing pattern of concentric ridges separated by hollows and pools. To get a good view of the bog we trekked up a mountainside passing through dense Nothofagus (false beech) forest before coming to an opening from where we had a stunning view of the bog below. The pattern on the bog made it appear as if it was gently creeping down the valley floor.

Figure 2: Andorra Valley patterned bog in Tierra del Fuego. © P. Crushell     Figure 3: Beaver Dam. A few pairs of Beaver were first introduced around 1940's, the population has now grown to over 100,000 in Tierra del Fuego. They disrupt the natural hydrology of the bogs. Photo: © P. Crushell       Figure 4: Pernettya mucronata, a shrub bearing red berries typical of the bogs in Tierra del Fuego. Photo: © P. Crushell

The remainder of the trip was spent camping and trekking across peatlands in remote areas of the island. We passed a long wet day on the mixed mires in the Moat area; this wilderness area comprises a large complex of different peatland types including blanket Sphagnum bogs and unusual cushion bogs. These cushion bogs are peculiar being dominated not by Sphagnum but by Antarctic Lily (Astelia pumila) and Donatia fascicularis, walking on these bogs was a pleasure as the ground was firm yet springy underfoot, you wouldn't even need wellies!! The upland landscape of the area was reminiscent of western Ireland being dominated by Blanket Bog and from our experience the climate also seems to be quite similar..

Figure 5: Moat blanket bogs and cushion bogs in Tierra del Fuego. Photo: © P. Crushell

THREATS AND DAMAGE
While many of the peatlands we visited were pristine as described above we also visited sites that are damaged and threatened by human impact.

One of the more unusual threats to the intact bogs is the introduced Beaver. From an original population of only a few individuals in the 1940s, the population is now estimated to be over 100,000. Beavers end up damming rivers throughout the peatland regions, which in turn causes much bogland to flood, sometimes affecting the hydrology of an entire bog.

We saw examples of peat mining on a number of sites and a significant area of bog has been destroyed as a result of this activity. It is now feared that international peat companies are prospecting the bogs of the area and are looking for permission from the Argentinean Government to exploit peat in the area on a large scale. The government are faced with the difficult decision on how to balance the need for local economic activity with long-term conservation objectives.

One of the more unusual sites we visited was a bog in the middle of the capital, Ushuaia. The town has developed around the bog that is now under increased threat from development pressure. This bog is thought to play an important role in regulating the hydrology of the area around the town.

Figure 6: Peat cutting in the Andorra valley of Tierra del Fuego. Peat is cut by hand and dried on the wooden tripods. Photo: © P. Crushell

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
During the final two days we had a most interesting conference at which most delegates presented talks on they're experiences of peatland conservation and wise-use in they're respective countries. I think that our Argentinean friends learned much from all of our experiences including the drawn out battle here in Ireland to protect sites and the success of a movement as the IPCC.

The symposium concluded when the delegates discussed, agreed and issued the Ushuaia Statement (see below). In summary the statement
* Highlighted the global significance of the peatlands in Tierra del Fuego.
* Called on the Government of Argentina to ensure the long-term conservation and wise-use of the peatlands.
* Offered the expertise of the network of delegates in assisting the Government of Argentina to achieve these goals.

I hope that resulting from this symposium the unique peatlands in this far off corner of the world are now a step closer to being conserved.

The IMCG Ushuaia Statement The Government of the Province of Tierra del Fuego, the Consejo Federal de Inversiones and the International Mire Conservation Group (IMCG) organized the International Field Symposium "Mires and peatlands: Environment management, conservation and restoration" (21 November - 1 December 2005), as part of IMCG's regular field assessments and symposia. An IMCG delegation of 55 experts from 17 countries and 5 continents, accompanied and supported by representatives of the Fuegian Government and Argentinean scientists, travelled across a large part of Isla Grande (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina), studying the diversity and functionality of peatlands and the issues faced by them. As a result, the IMCG experts fully recognize the achievements of the Provincial Government of Tierra del Fuego in improving land use planning and developing the existing network of protected areas, including those of international importance. Furthermore, in seeking to encourage continued development of this policy, the IMCG wishes to inform the Provincial Government of the following: * The IMCG is extremely impressed by the enormous variation in well-developed and pristine mires in Tierra del Fuego. The diversity of mire types encountered here is globally unequalled. The mires represent the most southerly concentration of peatland in the world, and, as a result of the extreme biogeographical and climatic conditions, possess species, species assemblages and peatland types found no-where else. The mires and peatlands of Tierra del Fuego, and the landscapes in which they are embedded, form a unique and irreplaceable part of the Earth's natural heritage. * Mires and peatlands have particularly important functions for regulating the local, regional and global climate, local and regional hydrology, and for sustaining biodiversity at all scales. These functions are recognized by international conventions to which Argentina is a Contracting Party, including the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar), the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. * The extensive pristine mires of Tierra del Fuego, and the impressive wild landscapes of which they are an integral part, represent an important economic resource. They provide a reliable water supply and enable a (hitherto largely untapped) sustainable source of income through ecotourism and associated activities. Furthermore the conservation of these peatlands will facilitate Argentina in meeting the goals set by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change both with respect to mitigation and adaptation. * The IMCG greatly appreciates the work that has already gone into characterising and understanding the peatlands of Tierra del Fuego. Based on this information and what was seen during the field assessment, the IMCG emphasises that the Valle de Andorra Mires and the Rancho Hambre peatlands merit immediate action to ensure that their natural status and high potential for sustainable ecotourism are maintained and developed. Such protection measures should represent the first steps in a programme designed to create a network of sites that protects the full variety of mire types and landscapes. The extensive complex of pristine peatland and forest landscapes of the Peninsula Mitre clearly deserves a legal protection status on the provincial level and international recognition and integral protection under the Ramsar and World Heritage Conventions. * It is clear, however, that extensive areas of peatlands have yet to be adequately assessed for their local, national and international importance. The lack of a strategic planning approach to peatland use and after-use within the Province of Tierra del Fuego is already causing difficulties for all parties involved and leads to a wasteful exploitation of valuable resources. If the current planning framework remains unchanged, such problems are certain to intensify in the future. The planning process should therefore be addressed now, while these difficulties can still be resolved. Indeed the current and potential pressures urgently require - in the manner of national peatland strategies established by various other countries - the development and implementation of a comprehensive Tierra del Fuego Peatland Strategy and Action Plan to support the conservation and wise use of peatlands in the Province. * Such a framework for conservation and wise use of peatlands in Tierra del Fuego requires: 1. Inventory of the biodiversity values and other functions of the peatlands of Tierra del Fuego; 2. Protection of the natural values of the most important mires already identified and recognised; 3. Prevention of damage to all pristine and near-pristine peatlands; 4. Formulation of legislation to formalise such protection; 5. Recognition of the international significance of these peatlands; 6. Development, in a sustainable way, of the benefits which the peatlands bring to the region (tourism, water quality, carbon storage, biodiversity, research, international collaboration, etc); 7. Development of programmes for public awareness, education and ecotourism, targeting all levels of society; 8. Development of expertise and the knowledge-base necessary to inform the planning process for the conservation and wise use of peatlands, and for monitoring their status and changes; 9. Obligatory Environmental Impact Assessment using the IPS/IMCG Wise Use Guidelines for all development proposals on and related to peatlands, acknowledging that peat mining always impacts on the environment; 10. Statutory requirement for a peatland after-use plan as an integral part of any development approval, considering the special characteristics of the peatland resource; 11. Implementation of restoration measures for all peatlands that have been or are being degraded. The International Mire Conservation Group congratulates the Provincial Government with the steps already taken and offers the experience and expertise available through its network to enable the Government to meet the objectives mentioned above. We offer this support in recognition of the international importance of the mires of Tierra del Fuego. The 2005 IMCG symposium in Ushuaia will stimulate further international interest in research, education and conservation management of this globally important resource. The IMCG feels privileged to have had the opportunity to see such a renowned part of the world's natural heritage, thanks the Provincial Government and the Consejo Federal de Inversiones for their much-valued support, and would like to join with the Provincial Government in ensuring that this unique resource is conserved for future generations. Ushuaia 1st December 2005

THANK YOU
On a personal level this trip was a dream come true for me, to have the opportunity of following in the path of Charles Darwin by visiting this part of the world. I wish to thank IPCC, Offaly County Council and University College Cork who supported my attendance at the symposium.

© Patrick Crushell, Zoology Department, University College Cork. 2006