Ministry of Climate Advisor Names the Most Beautiful Bogs in Estonia

Hanno Zingel, advisor at the Biodiversity Protection Department of the Estonian Ministry of Climate, said that Lauksoo bog in Lahemaa National Park and Kakerdaja bog are the most beautiful bogs in Estonia. According to him, these are truly picturesque places with rich colors and wide expanses, where every aspect is unique.

Bog water is sterile and not suitable for drinking because it lacks salts. It can be squeezed from sphagnum moss directly into a glass and consumed, but this does not quench thirst in the long term. However, such water is good for rinsing hands and face.

Zingel noted that the number of bogs has significantly decreased both in Estonia and worldwide. Only about a fifth of the original area remains today. Estonia has been paying special attention to the protection of bogs and raised bogs since 1938. Over time, protection has become increasingly important. A bog as a special ecosystem is vital for humanity because it stores and purifies water. It acts as a buffer, releasing water during droughts and absorbing it during floods like a sponge – a self-regulating system.

Today, peat is also trendy in the beauty industry as it protects the skin and supplies nutrients. Zingel emphasized that people come from all over the world to see Estonian bogs. Estonia has learned to preserve its bogs, and soon it will celebrate nearly a century of bog protection history. Although there have been difficult times, there has always been enough knowledge, understanding, and luck to preserve this vast wealth. Now Estonia also knows how to restore bogs – drainage waves have not bypassed Estonia, and the total length of drainage ditches would almost twice circle the Earth. By restoring and closing ditches where necessary, Estonia has become one of the world leaders in bog restoration and rehabilitation.