Several researchers have done brilliant work unfortunately on Sphagnum species that aren't fuscum; that release CO2 upon decay. Other Sphagnum species might be useful to fuscum. If they are acidic, competing vegetation is killed off; minerotrophic fen becomes an ombotrophic bog. They may moderate the water table to fuscum optimal. For instance, the only Sphagnum species that will grow over a pond is S.Riparian. S.Riparian should speed up the time it takes for a pond shore to be a suitable S.fuscum afforestation site. Thirsty coniferous trees may help too in adding soil acidity. S.fuscum is in direct competition in some areas with grasses and decidious trees. The competition aerates the soil, draining it. Cottongrass gives shelter and moisture to S.fuscum clippings and spores.
For a few years, tiny S.fuscum prefers a higher water table to what mature peat moss is optimized for. Mature S.fuscum prefers a lower water table as it competes better using superior water storage morphology to other species.
Plant species may also be useful for afforesting S.fuscum in that peat accumulates faster than 1mm/yr for some other parent species. If this peat is useful to S.fuscum transplanted Acrotelm, the quickest cheapest way of succeeding rock may be to 1st seed a fast growing fen seed mix and years later introducing S.fuscum. There is a need for more snow/rain gauges up north.
Researchers often publish the NPP of their Sphagnum fuscum research. This is carbon sequestered without mentioning carbon released. The net is NEP. NPP is useless.
Smaller Acrotelm sizes need more moisture; two optimal transplant sizes/methodologies will emerge. Larger chunks survive winter better. Here transport costs rule. Afforestation would take place near existing bogs and the procedure would be much like existing transplant research:
http://www.gret-perg.ulaval.ca/uploads/tx_centrerecherche/Cagampan_etal_HydrolProc2008.pdf
...except the new peat bogs to be grown would be an array of site types beyond past vacuum harvested bogs. Clippings and spores (research in infancy) are other potential afforesting materials. These may be sustainably harvested from existing bogs, or farmed/greenhoused. Small transport costs but decreased survivability of transplants. Probably spores or clippings would survive on prospering transplanted larger chunks.
The carbon value of peat moss isn't great. Historically NEP in N.Alberta or S.NWT was as high as 70 grams C/m^2/yr, where it is now maybe 3g/C/m^2/yr. Research suggests 10g/C/m^2/yr is average. 28g/C/m^2/yr is TKG target assuming optimized water table. S.fuscum only grows horizontally at 1.5cm/yr. If strips are harvested sustainably out of existing bogs and are to recover sustainably in 10 yrs, 30cm strips would be optimal width. Because Acrotelm 10cm deep is viable, a rototiller that can shave off thin top layers a few cms thick would be a great invention. Any improvement over a pitchfork is good.
