The ancient environmental archive hidden beneath a northern bog View our Twitter (X) feedView our Youtube channelView our Instagram feedView our Substack feedView our Spotify feed The ancient environmental archive hidden beneath a northern bog Peatlands preserve thousands of years of ecological history beneath our feet. Now, a warming climate is transforming that record with startling speed. Ancient HistoryClimate ChangeEnvironmental ScienceBiodiversityEcosystem Dynamics Excerpted from Bogland: The Secret World That Defies Death and Protects Life.
Copyright (c) 2026 by Merritt R. Used with permission of the publisher, W. I need to move on and find my field plots, but pausing here has caused my feet to sink.
They are now completely buried by peat; only my shins remain visible. I shift my weight from side to side and point my toes to break the suction, releasing a loud squelching retort and sending tiny bubbles to the surface. Walking through boglands requires a marriage of physical and mental strength.
My footsteps push deep into soft ground, causing pools of dark cold water to rise over my boots. With no physical boundaries to mark distance, time stretches to match the cadence of bog walking. I pick a careful path, each step punctuated by the slop of rubber boots against sopping moss.
The only distraction is the relentless droning of the mosquitoes and black flies encircling my head — a cacophony so loud that I will continue to hear it in my dreams, long after I have returned to firm ground. The threat of breaking through is real. Ankles, knees, sometimes even thighs can be swallowed by the peat, innocent at the surface but becoming sinister with depth.
I have learned that the only way to reclaim yourself from the peat is to give in. I have seen those who wage a physical battle against it, their arms pushing down to extract themselves, creating sinkholes of water, which open sideways and fill their clothes with more weight. It is exhausting, and while you struggle, the peat waits patiently, inviting you deeper.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
