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Peat is a natural resource thousands of years old
In a Finnish bog, new peat accumulates at about 1 millimetre per year. A one-metre layer of peat is therefore roughly a thousand years old. In the deep bogs of Northern Finland, peat layers can be 5–8 metres thick, meaning they began forming right after the Ice Age.
Why is a bog the birthplace of peat?
The formation of peat requires three things: moisture, a lack of oxygen and organic matter. A Finnish bog meets all of these conditions.
In the surface layer of a bog, sphagnum moss, sedges, cottongrass and other moisture-tolerant plants grow. When these plants die, they sink under the water. Under water there is little oxygen, which slows the decomposition of the plant debris. Instead, the plant material is compressed and layered, gradually turning into peat.
The peat formation process step by step
- Vegetation grows on the bog surface – sphagnum moss, sedge, cottongrass plants
- Plant material dies and sinks under the water – into oxygen-free conditions
- Decomposition slows down – water and lack of oxygen prevent bacterial activity
- The layers compress over the centuries – a brownish-black, fibrous peat forms
- The deeper layers are older and denser – surface peat is looser and younger
Why is Northern Finland excellent peatland?
Finland is one of the world’s largest peat-resource countries – about 9 million hectares of our country’s surface area is mire. In Northern Finland the peat layers are especially thick, because the climate is cold and damp and decomposition happens very slowly.
Tainikoski’s production areas are located in Simo, Northern Finland. There, the peat layers have formed under optimal conditions: sufficient rainfall, a cool summer and an even bog base ensure the formation of high-quality peat.
Different peat types form in different conditions
Not all peat is the same. The environment of formation and the vegetation affect peat’s properties:
- Sphagnum peat – forms from sphagnum moss, lighter and more acidic, an excellent growing medium
- Sedge peat – forms from sedges and grasses, darker and more nutrient-rich
- Woody peat – contains wood residues, denser and higher in energy
Tainikoski uses different peat layers for different products: the surface-layer sphagnum peat is best suited as a growing medium, while the deeper layers go to energy use.
Is peat a renewable natural resource?
Peat does renew, but extremely slowly. It is not classified as renewable energy in the same way as solar or wind energy. In Finland, peat is classified as a slowly renewing biomass fuel.
Responsible peat production means that only a small portion of the available mires is taken into production, and decommissioned production areas are given aftercare – usually afforestation or wetland restoration.
Interested in using peat on your farm or in your business? Explore Tainikoski’s peat products.
