Zegveld Peat Monitoring

The soil in the Netherlands consists largely of peat. These areas are subject to subsidence through oxidation and compaction. As a result, peat meadows are increasingly wet, which decreases the carrying capacity of the land for an increasingly longer period of the year. Subsidence causes damage to buildings and infrastructure. Peat oxidation also causes the emission of CO2, among other things and thus contributes to warming the climate. Under certain circumstances, the oxidation of peat also releases the greenhouse gas methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O).

Trials are being carried out by the Deltares foundation where soil subsidence and the respective measures are being tested. SHORE was requested to acquire UAV LiDAR data and provide advice during a multi-year monitoring campaign of the Zegveld Peat Innovation Centre.