Jiaqian Cao

In peatlands, a unique type of landscape, human and non-human elements come together to form a 'museum of nature'. After studying the peatland sites on Terceira island and the surrounding landform fabric, I discovered the role of nature and society in the territory. I see nature and society role as two interlocking layers that influence this site mutually balanced and inseparable.

In the Anthropocene epoch, humans are not outsiders to the ecosystem — rather, we are participants in its unfolding.

Peatlands cover just 3 percent of the Earth’s land but store approximately 30 percent of the Earth’s soil carbon. They are the largest natural terrestrial carbon store -more than all other vegetation types in the world combined, damaged peatlands are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions.

In Terceira Island, agricultural activities and grazing can lead to peatland degradation, which in turn leads to a decline in island soil carbon storage and the destruction of natural habitats. 

In this landscape design project, a sequence and network of peatland landscape parks will be implemented to deal with the problems above. The basic strategy of the project is a regenerative succession of degraded peatland aiming to achieve carbon neutrality, which is promoted by creating ecological corridors and patches, improving or rewilding pasture landscape, and low-carbon tourism. 

Focusing on Planalto Central of the island

The central plateau of the island lies between the two volcanic cores. According to the research analysis, focusing on this area, unlike the natural protected areas, due to the expansion of pastures and the invasion of tree species, many peatlands have been degraded, and the soil carbon storage capacity has declined. At the same time, the road passes through this area to connect the main city in the southern part of the island and the communities in the northern part of the island.

Reading the landscape

At the Central plateau, which is a morphologically flattened zone and dotted by scoria cones, it is possible to observe a humanized landscape as a result of the progressive transformation due to the soil use, where the farming zones and fight cattle breeding activities alternate with wetlands covered by ponds and peat bogs of Sphagnum sp.

The existing landform fabric originates from natural intense activities or long evolution and is also closely related to the activities of social human beings. The landscape formed under the historical background of human activities and the landscape formed by nature are intertwined, and the transformation and protection of this dual subject require careful analysis and trade-off.

A sequence and network of peatland landscape parks

This project proposes a landscape intervention for the conservation of peatlands, rewilding pastures, and spatial narratives of peatlands.

1. Identify peatland protected areas to prevent the expansion of intensive pastures.

2. Select rewilding priority pastures, reduce grazing and rewet soil to help regenerate degraded peatlands.

3. Create a peatland natural park near the geo-site and visitor centre for exhibition, education and recreation.

4. Walking trails in parallel with viewpoints connect each area

Peatland natural park

The design proposal is to establish a peatland natural park in this area to protect and restore peatland and provide space for scientific research, education, and entertainment.

At the beginning of the design, the principle of putting ecological restoration first and “park” attributes second. That is to reduce the human damage and disturbance to the peatland, restore the vegetation, and create a suitable habitat for all kinds of wetland organisms. The second is the needs of people, that is, to increase park facilities to meet the needs of public activities and science education. Interventions (reversals) in the destruction of the natural landscape create new peatland networks, and minimal new human landscape interventions create narrative spaces that bring about social and environmental change in response to the challenges facing the Anthropocene.

Timeful change of peatland nature park and soil profile

There is an economic forest of Cryptomeria japonica in the volcanic slag cone area, non-native and relatively homogeneous. Apart from the existing basin mire, it is occupied by large areas of intensive and semi-natural pasture. The water table is low and the peatlands are degraded due to overgrazing and drainage from agriculture.

Peatland regeneration is designed to create artificial lowlands and small water bodies, introduce peat moss and reduce grazing. Rainfall and surface runoff create water ponding in the lowlands.

Peat mosses expand, wet herbs gradually take over the site and the water table rises.

Lowland areas created by human intervention form new ecosystems. The distribution of peat moss continues to expand and the higher water table sustains the peat formed during the historic period, reducing soil carbon emissions and increasing carbon storage.