The 1940 monograph that has preserved natural history records of the lost raised bog of Šepeta, Lithuania

Abstract

During the last century, Lithuania lost about eighty percent of its wetlands. Before the Second World War, Šepeta bog was one of the largest raised bogs in Lithuania (1398.9 ha) and part of the wider European wetland system. In 1940, a complex study on the vegetation and peat resources of the bog was conducted and, based on the findings obtained, the monograph ‘Šepeta. Aukštapelkio monografija [A monograph on the Šepeta raised bog]’ was published at the end of the year. Peat exploitation in the Šepeta raised bog was started for economic reasons in 1939. At present, nearly all the territory of the above-mentioned mire with former typical habitats and populations of rare plant and bird species is completely destroyed and converted into a peat extraction area. The monograph on Šepeta bog is the only extant comprehensive source of information on the natural history of this bog. However, the publication is very rare. Our study was undertaken with a view to collect all the surviving material on the natural history of the Šepeta raised bog. This paper presents the history and fate of the monograph, a summary of the extant historical material on the vegetation of Šepeta bog, and a historical list of plant species.