Water quality effects of peat rewetting and leftover conifer brash, following peatland restoration and tree harvesting.

Harvesting of plantation conifers on peatlands is carried out as part of restoration and forestry operations. In particular, in the UK and Ireland, conifer plantations on drained ombrotrophic blanket and raised bogs are increasingly being removed (by harvesting), along with blocking of drainage ditches to help raise water tables to reinitiate and restore bog vegetation and function. However, both tree harvesting and peatland restoration operations can have significant impacts on water quality at local and catchment scales.