473
22.3.1 Matsalu Bay (Inland Deltas)
It is a water meadow and a reed marsh in
northwestern Estonia. It has been known as an
important bird habitat since many years. This
wetland has an area of c 500 km
2 with much of
that designated as the Matsalu State Nature
Preserve. The wetland harbours about 300,000–
350,000 swans, mallards, pintails, coots, geese,
cranes, etc., during migration in the spring season. However, there are signifi cant eutrophication problems in many bays adjacent to southern
Sweden, both in the Baltic Sea and in the
Kattegat, probably, due to excessive input of
nitrogen from the agricultural practices, thus
resulting in loss of wetlands, drainage of
streams and destruction of the riparian zones.
For example, Langholm Bay, a small ( c 300
km
2 ) bay in the SW Sweden on the Kattegat,
experienced signifi cant blooms of Cladophora
in the 1970s, which has affected fi sheries and
tourism in the region. This was followed by the
development of a much more extensive hypoxia
(low-oxygen condition) due to excessive production of zooplankton in large parts of the
Kattegat ( c 22,000 km
2 ) during the 1980s
( Fleischer et al. 1994 ). A goal of 50 % reduction of nitrogen loading has been proposed for
streams entering the coastal waters of Sweden,
and restored wetlands are being considered as a
cost-effective measure for reducing the nitrogen loads (Fleisher et al. 1994 ; Kessler and
Jansson 1994 ).
The Endla Bog in Estonia and the Berezinski
Bog (area: c 76,000 ha) in Byelorussia are both
examples of peatlands that have been protected
as nature preserves in semi-natural states.
22.4 Wetlands of Georgia:
The Colchis Wetlands
It is a lowland inland delta of eastern Georgia
having an area of c 13,000 km
2
. It is an alder
( Alnus glutinosa ) swamp and sedge–rush–reed
marsh created by tectonic settling plus backwaters from the rivers discharging into the eastern
Black Sea. These wetlands are related to Greek
mythological stories.
22.5 Wetlands of the United
Kingdom (UK)
In the UK, there are a large number of different
types of lentic bodies spread across the length
and breadth of the country. Some of these are
briefl y discussed below.
22.5.1 Askham Bog
It is an area of peat bog ( c 44.8 ha) located
between 53° 55′ 32″ N and 1° 07′ 27″ W (grid
reference SE 575481) in the Vale of York in North
Yorkshire, England, south of the city of York,
north of Copmanthorpe and close to Askham
Bryan and Askham Richard. Part of the bog is
maintained by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust as
their oldest nature reserve.
22.5.2 Crymlyn Bog
Crymlyn Bog (Welsh: Cors Crymlyn ) is a nature
reserve, located between 51°38′11.00″ N and
3°53′18.00″ W near Swansea in South Wales. It is
a designated Site of Special Scientifi c Interest and
of international signifi cance. It is the largest area
of lowland fen in Wales and lies immediately to
the eastern side of Kilvey Hill just north of the
industrial area of Crymlyn Burrows. Crymlyn
Bog was, probably, formed, in ancient times, in
the estuary of the rivers Clydach and Neath, which
once fl owed through the present- day site of the
bog. Further, part of the land was previously occupied by a British Petroleum (BP) oil refi nery.
Other parts were owned by the Central Electricity
Generating Board (CEGB), who used the bog to
dump wastes. With industrialisation, it was uncertain that the bog would survive. Andrew Lees,
who later became Campaign Director of ‘Friends
of the Earth (FoE)’, started a campaign with the
Swansea branch of FoE to protect the bog.
Habitats range from swamps, carr (fen),
water meadows and tall reed beds to waterlogged
scrub consisting mainly of willow, where wetter
areas merge with woodland. Plant life found in
the bog is more typical of that found in east
22.5 Wetlands of the United Kingdom (UK)
22.3.1 Matsalu Bay (Inland Deltas)
It is a water meadow and a reed marsh in
northwestern Estonia. It has been known as an
important bird habitat since many years. This
wetland has an area of c 500 km
2 with much of
that designated as the Matsalu State Nature
Preserve. The wetland harbours about 300,000–
350,000 swans, mallards, pintails, coots, geese,
cranes, etc., during migration in the spring season. However, there are signifi cant eutrophication problems in many bays adjacent to southern
Sweden, both in the Baltic Sea and in the
Kattegat, probably, due to excessive input of
nitrogen from the agricultural practices, thus
resulting in loss of wetlands, drainage of
streams and destruction of the riparian zones.
For example, Langholm Bay, a small ( c 300
km
2 ) bay in the SW Sweden on the Kattegat,
experienced signifi cant blooms of Cladophora
in the 1970s, which has affected fi sheries and
tourism in the region. This was followed by the
development of a much more extensive hypoxia
(low-oxygen condition) due to excessive production of zooplankton in large parts of the
Kattegat ( c 22,000 km
2 ) during the 1980s
( Fleischer et al. 1994 ). A goal of 50 % reduction of nitrogen loading has been proposed for
streams entering the coastal waters of Sweden,
and restored wetlands are being considered as a
cost-effective measure for reducing the nitrogen loads (Fleisher et al. 1994 ; Kessler and
Jansson 1994 ).
The Endla Bog in Estonia and the Berezinski
Bog (area: c 76,000 ha) in Byelorussia are both
examples of peatlands that have been protected
as nature preserves in semi-natural states.
22.4 Wetlands of Georgia:
The Colchis Wetlands
It is a lowland inland delta of eastern Georgia
having an area of c 13,000 km
2
. It is an alder
( Alnus glutinosa ) swamp and sedge–rush–reed
marsh created by tectonic settling plus backwaters from the rivers discharging into the eastern
Black Sea. These wetlands are related to Greek
mythological stories.
22.5 Wetlands of the United
Kingdom (UK)
In the UK, there are a large number of different
types of lentic bodies spread across the length
and breadth of the country. Some of these are
briefl y discussed below.
22.5.1 Askham Bog
It is an area of peat bog ( c 44.8 ha) located
between 53° 55′ 32″ N and 1° 07′ 27″ W (grid
reference SE 575481) in the Vale of York in North
Yorkshire, England, south of the city of York,
north of Copmanthorpe and close to Askham
Bryan and Askham Richard. Part of the bog is
maintained by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust as
their oldest nature reserve.
22.5.2 Crymlyn Bog
Crymlyn Bog (Welsh: Cors Crymlyn ) is a nature
reserve, located between 51°38′11.00″ N and
3°53′18.00″ W near Swansea in South Wales. It is
a designated Site of Special Scientifi c Interest and
of international signifi cance. It is the largest area
of lowland fen in Wales and lies immediately to
the eastern side of Kilvey Hill just north of the
industrial area of Crymlyn Burrows. Crymlyn
Bog was, probably, formed, in ancient times, in
the estuary of the rivers Clydach and Neath, which
once fl owed through the present- day site of the
bog. Further, part of the land was previously occupied by a British Petroleum (BP) oil refi nery.
Other parts were owned by the Central Electricity
Generating Board (CEGB), who used the bog to
dump wastes. With industrialisation, it was uncertain that the bog would survive. Andrew Lees,
who later became Campaign Director of ‘Friends
of the Earth (FoE)’, started a campaign with the
Swansea branch of FoE to protect the bog.
Habitats range from swamps, carr (fen),
water meadows and tall reed beds to waterlogged
scrub consisting mainly of willow, where wetter
areas merge with woodland. Plant life found in
the bog is more typical of that found in east
22.5 Wetlands of the United Kingdom (UK)