How can we identify where peatland restoration can have the greatest climate impact — and how can we verify the changes that follow?
The Vermassalo site, on Finsilva’s forest estate, offers an opportunity to study a landscape with extensive areas of historically drained peatland and spruce-dominated forests. These ecosystems are particularly relevant for carbon monitoring because peat soils can store substantial amounts of carbon, while changes in water conditions and land management can influence whether that carbon remains stored or is released.
From maps to measurements
OGCR is developing an open digital framework for monitoring carbon stocks in soil, biomass, and peat, aiming to make carbon information more transparent, accessible, and actionable.
But maps and models need to be tested against what is happening on the ground.
At Vermassalo, researchers are collecting field measurements including ditch depth, water-table levels, vegetation cover and peat depth. They use these observations to assess and improve models that combine geospatial information with hydrological and environmental data.
The fieldwork is particularly important for evaluating how well information such as moisture models, drainage networks and airborne laser scanning data can be used to identify and characterise potential restoration sites.
In other words, the research helps connect two perspectives often treated separately: what the landscape looks like from above and what is actually happening on the ground.
Identifying the right places for restoration
Not every drained peatland requires the same management approach.
Some sites may have strong potential for active restoration, while others may recover naturally. In other areas, continued forest management may remain an option if it can be carried out in a climate-resilient way.
Better spatial information can help distinguish between these situations
The models being developed and tested through OGCR research can help identify potential restoration areas, drought-risk areas, and other peatland management options. Field observations then provide an essential reality check: does the model accurately represent the conditions on the ground?
This feedback loop is central to building more reliable geospatial carbon information.
Why peatlands matter for carbon monitoring
Peatlands are particularly important for land-based carbon management. Their soils can contain large carbon stocks accumulated over long periods. Changes in drainage and water conditions can shift the balance between carbon storage and emissions, making it especially important to monitor both carbon stocks and environmental conditions.
The Vermassalo fieldwork is one example of how OGCR is working towards a more comprehensive and transparent approach to carbon monitoring.
The project runs until 2029, allowing data from field sites to be collected and analysed over time. As the research progresses, observations from Vermassalo will help improve the models and methods used to assess carbon and restoration potential in peatland environments.
For land managers, researchers and other users of carbon information, the goal is ultimately practical: better data should support better decisions about where interventions can make a meaningful difference — and provide stronger evidence for monitoring their impacts.
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