In the Goult wood peat bog, in the Écouves forest, in Orne. It feels like we're walking on sponges. It's normal. It is also one of the main assets of the place: “These are sphagnum moss », explains Michel Ameline, scientific manager for the Normandy-Maine Regional Natural Park. “300% of the weight of this plant is water. It absorbs it and acts as a buffer. » This is one of the advantages of a peat bog, and more generally of wetlands. During precipitation, water is stored there and slowly spreads into the rivers below in particular. This avoids too rapid flow and the consequences that we sometimes experience, such as floods or floods. If a peatland is doing well, it captures carbon. Conversely, if it is bad, it rejects it. Hence the importance of knowing it and maintaining it.
“It was the horror of emptiness”
Today, everything is done to protect it and study it, with the aim of better understanding how it works. A weather station was also installed on site about a year ago. It is also a place for studying reptiles. “All the peatlands in the area were previously forested. In 1959 the place burned down. »
But there is no question of deforestation: “Between the 1950s and 1990s we “tried hard” to plant, in the forest it was the horror of emptiness! Then, in the 90s, we began restoration and deforestation workcontinues Michel Ameline. The idea at the time was to allow specific heritage species from peatlands to develop. »
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Today, the Normandy-Maine Park and the National Forestry Office maintain it, so that it retains its role. “The enemy of the peat bog is the forest, which creates humus and enriches the environmentsays Franck Licin, forestry technician. Without our intervention, it would tend to become woody. » But the surrounding forest environment also protects the peat bog by playing a role of ” air conditioner “.
