Natural and anthropogenic factors influencing changes in peatland management in Poland

Abstract The main aim of this study is to identify trends in peatland management from the end nineteenth century late twentieth Tuchola Pinewoods (TP) located NW Poland (young glacial zone, temperate climate). analyses were performed based on 1:100,000 Prussian topographic maps years 1876–1879 and 1:50,000 Polish 1966–1986. A total 744 peatlands identified TP (total area — 10,762 ha, 3.03% studied region). Smaller up 1–2 ha found be most numerous (15.32% number), whereas those exceeding 15 cover largest (75.42% area). analysis revealed a tendency regarding land period large adapted for agricultural purposes, smaller ones mostly transformed into woodlands. important factors influencing directions changes use include as follows: type adjacent areas, implementation anthropogenic drainage systems location lake catchment or drained by rivers streams. Considering that 85.7% had been 1986, risk arising greenhouse gas emission should regarded high.