The ALFAwetlands project is an ambitious initiative focused on exploring the role of wetland restoration in Europe’s journey towards climate neutrality and resilience. One of its important results is the Report on the “Recommendations for wetland restoration” and is already available now!
The Figure 1 on the top of this page shows an overview of the project sites (pink + yellow squares) within the past wetland restoration database. Yellow squares indicate the ‘core sites’ _(see below). The European Mire regions (Moen et al., 2017; Tanneberger et al., 2021) are shown in the background.
Please also read: Learning from past restoration projects.
Recommendations for wetland restoration
The Report “Recommendations for wetland restoration” synthesize past peatland restoration projects, analyzing their goals, methodologies, and outcomes. It also includes a comprehensive database, compiled from various sources, focusing on European peatlands.
The Report preparation had been led by the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Belgium with the contribution of the Michael Succow Foundation, Germany.
The report evaluates restoration success, highlighting factors like water level restoration, vegetation recovery, and peat formation. Challenges include varying restoration effectiveness, the complexity of peatland classification, and the influence of global change. The study emphasizes the importance of long-term monitoring, stakeholder involvement, and standardized restoration practices.
Restoration goals
Effective wetland restoration requires clearly defined goals that guide interventions. A key challenge in restoration is understanding the extent of degradation and determining the potential for recovery. As Swindles et al. (2019) point out, when peatlands move away from their natural baseline conditions, there is an urgent need for restoration efforts. Restoration goals must be specific and prioritize objectives, especially when multiple goals may conflict.
One useful framework for guiding restoration goals is the “Restorative Continuum,” which visualizes various stages of recovery. Restoration strategies should be tailored to each site’s specific requirements, considering local hydrological regimes, biotic factors, and broader landscape or watershed issues (Gann et al., 2019), International principles and standards for the practice of ecological restoration (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/rec.13035) and Stepwise Ecological Restoration: A framework for improving restoration (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666683924000105?via%3Dihub) outcomes propose a stepwise approach to improving restoration outcomes, emphasising tailored restoration modes, clear targets, systematic thinking, and continuous monitoring.
Restoration projects goals
Wetland restoration projects often focus on three interrelated goals:
- Hydrological restoration: re-establishing natural water regimes to conserve water, carbon stocks, and characteristic vegetation.
- Biodiversity conservation: mitigating land-use pressures such as erosion, grazing, and eutrophication while encouraging native species and habitats.
- Climate change mitigation: reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing carbon sequestration through the restoration of peatland ecosystems.
Types of wetlands: Classification and restoration needs
Europe’s wetlands are highly diverse, and their restoration strategies must take into account the different types of wetlands present. Peatlands, which include bogs and fens, form a critical component of European wetlands. These systems are distinguished based on their water sources: bogs are primarily rain-fed, while fens are groundwater-fed. The restoration of these ecosystems requires an understanding of both their internal functioning (e.g., water storage, vegetation types) and their external ecological context (e.g., water sources, landscape position) (Joosten et al., 2017).
The majority of European peatland restoration projects focus on raised bogs, followed by blanket bogs and fens. These wetlands require tailored restoration strategies, ranging from hydrological interventions to vegetation management and the reintroduction of native peat-forming species.
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This post is prepared by Vlado Vancura, European Wilderness Society´s expert.