Last week, our Estonian WaterLANDS partners visited Finland for the Peatland Restoration Workshop and Field Excursion (8–11 September 2025), hosted by the University of Eastern Finland.
The visit combined a number of activities including:
- Seminar discussions on peatland restoration with field excursions to restored mires
- An experimental Sphagnum paludiculture site
- Visits to national parks.
Attention was given especially to the national restoration plans in Finland as well as in Estonia and the different ways in which stakeholders are involved with the restoration. A crucial thread in the discussions focused on monitoring processes following restoration and the decay of trees, which is a big topic in Estonia, and received valuable feedback from Finnish partners. This mix of academic exchange and outdoor experiences provided valuable new insights into restoration methods and their wider impacts. A big thank you to the University of Eastern Finland for putting together such a well-organised programme and for the warm hospitality. We’re excited to bring these learnings into the WaterLANDS project!
Below are some impressions of the workshop, with photography by Piret Pungas-Kohv and Ode Maria Punamäe (Estonian Fund for Nature).
