The potential of birch afforestation as an after-use option for industrial cutaway peatlands

In the next few decades, industrial peat extraction will cease gradually over more than 80,000 hectares of cutaway peatlands in Ireland and alternative land uses will change the landscape of these areas. This study showed that substantial natural regeneration of downy birch (Betula pubescens) can occur on abandoned as well as cutaway peatlands afforested with conifers. Natural seedling birch stands measured in this study had an estimated biomass production of between 3100 and 5800 kg dry matter ha1 year1. This corresponded to an annual carbon stock increment estimated at between 1500 and 2900 kg C ha1. Direct sowing experiments conducted in this study were the first of their kind in Ireland and showed that sowing downy birch and fertilization with P and K could be a possible management option for the after-use of cutaway peatlands. Exposure was the main obstacle to successful germination and artificial shelter led to higher rates of germination and survival of birch seedlings after the first winter. It can be concluded that birch (naturally or artificially established) can be a feature of this future landscape, bringing many attributes: nurse species, biomass, increased woodland cover and biodiversity.