Estonia mulls boosting eastern border defenses by restoring bogs, peatlands
Estonia is among several countries on NATO's eastern flank considering restoring peatland and bogs to help protect against a potential future Russian attack.
Last week, both Politico Europe and the Financial Times reported that Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland are discussing the subject.
Ukraine has been able to successfully defend itself against Russian attacks in some areas by deploying its natural resources, such as rivers, floodplains, and marshy terrain, the outlets wrote. Restoration also helps countries meet their climate goals.
When asked if the government was looking at peatland restoration as a security measure, a spokesperson for the Estonian Ministry of Climate told Politico Europe: "I can confirm that we have started early discussions with the Ministry of Defense, and would like to include them in a nature restoration project."
The discussions "are still at a very early stage," the spokesperson added.
Estonia is one of the EU's most peat-rich nations, and has already embarked on a large-scale restoration drive since regaining independence in 1991.
Politico wrote that all three Baltic countries want to integrate existing peatlands into the new Baltic Defense Line project to fortify their borders, but actively restoring bogs has so far not been part of the plan.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense also confirmed to Politico Europe on Friday that internal government talks had started.
"We are using everything we can," Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) told the Financial Times. "If there are natural stops on the border such as swamps or bogs or lakes . . . then that helps us."
How many bogs are there in Estonia?
Approximately 22 percent of Estonia's land area is covered by peatlands, which puts the country second in the world after Finland (31 percent), the Estonian Wetland's Association (Eesti Märgalade Ühing) says.
However, most of Estonia's marshy areas have been drained and no longer produce peat. "These areas are no longer 'living' bogs," the association writes.
Today, only around a third of Estonia's peatlands deposit peat.
"Therefore, it can be said that in Estonia, bogs currently cover about 6–8 percent, and peatlands (former bogs) additionally cover about 14–16 percent of the land area," the association explains.
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Editor: Helen Wright
