Grand Fagne de Bihain
This protected mud with an area of 280 hectares was cleared of the spruce trees that had invaded it, as part of the LIFE Ardenne Liège project. It has regained its original appearance and is visited by ducks and beavers.
The plants do not decay easily there because of the acidity and moisture of this withering soil. This creates peat, an organic material with a dark brown hue.
In the past it was often used as fuel.
Knowing that it forms at a rate of 1mm per year, it takes hundreds or thousands of years to form a peat area.
There are quite typical plant species such as blueberries, callunes and quadrangular heath.
If the layer thickness of the peat is low enough, it is called heath. If it is more important, we speak of peat swamp.
In the latter case, another type of vegetation develops there such as cotton grass, sundew, andromeda or various types of peat moss, which also become scarce.
You have to be very careful when venturing into a swamp because the spongy soil lends itself to sinking. Trampling is extremely harmful to him anyway.