Peat Pals for LIFE

ongoing

Natuurmonumenten (NM), Natuurpunt (NP) Wageningen University, Department of Environmental Sciences (WU-DES) and Eurosite (ES) will restore a variety of degraded and carbon rich peat ecosystems in the Netherlands and in Flanders which all have been shaped by human activity in the past and which suffer from similar problems like desiccation, climate change and high nitrogen deposition. The overall objective is to improve the conservation status so we can attain a favourable status of the Annex I habitats and associated species in N2000 areas. By doing this we will create a variety of peat ecosystems, which will be more resilient to external effects, in the Fochteloërveen (the Netherlands) and in the Vallei van de Abeek, Dommeldal, and the Veewei (Flanders). NM and NP will improve the hydrological condition of 260 ha raised bog habitats, with a main focus on the priority habitat H7110* and the habitat H7120 in the Netherlands, and 56 ha peatland habitat in Flanders (H7140, H6410 and H3150). This will lead to quality improvement and extension of these habitats, but also will have a positive effect on the Green House Gas budget of these carbon rich areas. Peat Pals for LIFE combine, update and promote best practices into a ‘Peat Pals for LIFE Strategy’ with developed insights, experiences and lessons learned on improving hydrological and abiotic conditions for peatland restoration. Through the Peat Pals for LIFE strategy and partner Eurosite, the explicit intention is to apply the adapted recovery measures and the experience gained elsewhere in peatland sites with similar habitats and problems. Eurosite will use its (peatland) network to obtain and disseminate knowledge during and after the project and to improve the way in which different member states and platforms are working together on peatland recovery and the policies they make.