the Estonian habitats classification) but not all of them correspond to the Natura type 7110 (see Chapter 8.1.5). Both natural conditions during the last century and especially drainage have favoured succession of bog habitats from the type 7110 towards the type 91D0 (bog woodland) in Estonia, and peatlands on those 20,000 “lacking” hectares should be – at least partly – classified as type 91D0. 99.3% (1018 areas, 137,846 hectares) of active bogs (type 7110) correspond to the Estonian habitats classification site type group 3.2.2 (treeless and treed ombrotrophic raised bogs), the minority to the site type 3.2.1.1 (heath moors; 49 sites, 715 ha) and a few to other site types. According to global assessments used in Natura 2000 data forms, the protection value of Estonian active bogs was estimated during the field inventory as follows: excellent value (A) – 85 areas (42,768 ha), good (B) – 461 areas (71,190 ha), significant (C) – 456 areas (19,599 ha), low or lacking (D) – 62 areas (1,475 ha), unknown – 6 (3,699 ha). The relatively low number of areas with low or lacking protection value is explained by the fact that bogs affected by direct drainage have soon been covered by trees and rather correspond to habitat types 7120 or 91D0 if to the criteria of any Natura habitat type at all. 568 active bogs were totally or partly situated within the Sites of Community Importance (SCI); the total surface of active bogs within SCIs is 108,144 hectares. Global assessment of all these protected bogs resulted as follows: excellent value (A) – 80 areas (40,865 ha), good value (B) – 350 areas (59,954 ha), significant value (C) – 130 areas (3,630 ha), low or lacking value (D) – 3 areas (86 ha) and unknown value – 5 (3,610 ha). Thus, the majority of active bogs within SCIs in Estonia (93% by surface) have high conservation value. 80% of Estonian active bogs (by surface) are included within SCIs, and their representation might be regarded sufficient. Nevertheless, of 116 active bogs (13,139 ha) of excellent or good value outside the SCIs, at least two are in an urgent need to be added to the Natura 2000 network: Kõrsa bog (Pärnumaa; 1,485 ha) and the northern part of Larvi bog (Harjumaa; 22 ha) (see Chapter 8.1.5).
8.2.2 Degraded raised bogs still capable of natural regeneration (habitat type 7120) According to the results of the inventory there are 176 bogs in Estonia, with the total surface of 7,753 ha, which can be qualified as Natura habitat type 7120 (degraded raised bogs still capable of natural regeneration) (Fig. 22). Additionally, there are numerous degraded marginal parts of at least 66 unspoiled bogs, but in calculations and data processing they are considered as minority habitats under the type 7110 (active raised bogs). Still, the calculation of the total surface of the Natura habitat type 7120 should be more or less exhaustive since all areas of this habitat type are covered by mire vegetation and included, therefore, in the inventory. In practice, some totally degraded mire areas were not marked as subjects to visit if their low quality was evident already from orthophotos or from other sources; these areas might also include some habitats qualifying as type 7120. All in all, it could be estimated that the area of habitats of this type is some 10,000 hectares in Estonia. The Estonian official data for the Article 17 assessment, provided by the Estonian Ministry of the Environment, estimate the total surface of degraded bogs in Estonia at 56,500 hectares66. This seems to be highly overestimated. In the present Estonian conditions, degraded raised bogs tend to be covered by higher pines especially if Sphagnum layer becomes decomposed, and do not correspond to the type 7120 any more. They could rather be interpreted as type 91D0 of poor quality and many of them, after intensive decomposition of upper peat layer do not correspond to any Natura habitat type at all. The majority of abandoned peat-fields
66 Access at: http://bd.eionet.europa.eu/article17/habitatsreport/?group =Z3Jhc3 NsYW5kcw% (20.03.2011). ESTONIAN MIRES: INVENTORY OF HABITATS
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