Naturalist Lecture Series - Online Classroom

• Registration Open:
  Thu, Nov 13, 2025 at 10:01 AM
• Registration Closed:
  Mon, Mar 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM

Peatlands are wetlands with a substrate comprised of decaying organic material (peat) which accumulates due to saturated and/or anoxic soil conditions. Washington State’s climatic, geologic, topographic, and biogeographic diversity has led to the development of a large array of peatland types, ranging from purely rain‑fed, acidic bogs to groundwater‑supported, alkaline calcareous fens. Abiotic factors such as water source, elevation, pH, mineral concentration, landscape position, and natural and anthropogenic disturbances influence the biotic composition, vegetation structure, ecosystem processes, and geographic location of these peatlands.

Understanding this variation is necessary to account for the full suite of peatland biodiversity and ecosystem processes on the landscape. Washington’s peatlands will be discussed within the context of the U.S. National Vegetation Classification and Nature Serve’s approach to assessing ecosystem imperilment. These critical sources of information—peatland classification, imperilment status, and locations—provide a systematic framework for communicating biodiversity, carbon sequestration, distribution patterns, threats, and conservation and management needs of Washington’s ancient wetlands.

The presentation will also review how this information is used to guide peatland protection and conservation across the state.

Meeting place and time

A Zoom Link will be sent out the day before:

7:00 PM on Wednesday 11 March, Zoom will open at 6:45 PM

Helping people explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

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