Reuthen Bog

In the Muskauer Faltenbogen, bogs occurs in various locations with high groundwater levels or larger springs. As shown by pollen studies, bog formation commenced at different times during the Holocene (the current geological epoch, which began approximately 12,000 years ago). Reuthen Bog extends over an area of 93.3 hectares and has been designated as a Nature Conservation Area since 1992. It can be divided into the SW-NE oriented backwater valley bog with wood, sphagnum and sedge peat, as well as a small hanging and percolation bog. In the 1860s, peat was extracted from Reuthen Bog in relatively narrow strips, between which wide lines of peat were left untouched. Subsequently, the peat-cutting site was dammed up, over time leading to the formation of a mosaic of many small open water surfaces between the remants of the original bog.