Global Peatland Database

The Global Peatland Database (GPD) is a project of the International Mire Conservation Group (IMCG) located and maintained at the Greifswald Mire Centre. It provides an overview on the extent and drainage status of peatlands/organic soils for 268 countries and regions of the world. It mainly includes digital data, but also information from printed sources stored in the Peatland and Nature Conservation International Library (PeNCIL). A database of thousands of digital photos from peatlands all over the World is connected to the GPD.

Since 2012 this peatland/organic soil information is transferred into the spatially explicit ‘GIS-GPD’: in a vector geographic information system (GIS) scale 1:25,000 and a raster GIS 0.01 x 0.01 degree grid. The GIS-GPD is a continuously updated and refined peatland/organic soil database and can be filled with additional information such as peat depth, carbon content, vegetation or peatland type. Additionally, available GIS datasets from other peatland mapping and research are evaluated and integrated into the GPD. The database is intended to have global coverage by 2020. Recent data mining and soil mapping projects cover Europe, East and West Africa, NO-China, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Iran and Cuba.

 

Recent projects:

• ‘High Carbon Stock (HCS) study of the Sustainable Palm Oil Manifesto – Consulting study 5: Provide practical guidance to locate and delineate peatlands and other organic soils in the Tropics’ (Sime Darby)

• ‘High resolution GIS-based peatland mapping of East Africa’ (Netherland’s Environmental Assessment Agency)

• ‘Review of the importance of peatlands in the countries within the Nordic Baltic Wetland Initiative for mitigation climate change and potentials for restoration with a reference to designate peatland Ramsar sites in the region’ (Nordic Council of Ministers)

• Global assessment of blanket bogs in the framework of nominating the Flow Country (Scotland) as a World Heritage Site (Scottish Natural Heritage)

 

Recent Master and Bachelor theses and student internships:

• Peatland mapping in Iran
• Evaluation of available data for peatland mapping in Papua New Guinea
• Evaluation of available data for peatland mapping in Malawi
• Peatland mapping in Cuba

 

Selected publications and example maps based on the GPD:

Elshehawi, S. et al. (2020) Assessment of Carbon (CO2) emissions avoidance potential from the Nile
Basin peatlands: Technical report. NBI Technical Reports: Wetlands and Biodiversity series

Elshehawi, S. et al. (2020) Options for financing emission avoidance from drained peatlands in the
Nile Basin: Discussion paper. NBI Technical Reports: Wetlands and Biodiversity series

Joosten, H. (2010): The Global peatland CO₂ picture. Wetlands International, Ede. The Netherlands, 10 p. + Annexes.

Barthelmes, A., Couwenberg, J., Risager, M., Tegetmeyer, C. & Joosten, H. (2015): Peatlands and Climate in a Ramsar context - A Nordic-Baltic Perspective. Nordic Council of Ministers, Rosendahls-Schultz Grafisk. Copenhagen, Denmark, 81 p. + Annexes.

 

Mapping example: Map of organic soils of Rwanda (1 x 1 km grid) with status assessment (not degraded, low degraded, heavily degraded) (clock wise from top left).