PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Wetlands have an important role to play in preserving biodiversity. Many plants and animals depend on wetland biotopes, and nearly 15% of Sweden’s threatened species live in peatlands or on freshwater margins. Hydrological changes and plant invasion adversely affect wetland animals and plants. Forest succession on drained mires is a major problem for several bird species and for the plants displaced. Nutrients from neighbouring forestry or agricultural activities also contributes to vegetation change. Some wetlands have historically been used as meadows, but agricultural modernisation has made this use unprofitable and such sites are often abandoned. Several species live in these sites, but their populations are decreasing or becoming extinct because of overgrowth and new management practices. Southern Sweden in particular has seen a significant loss of wetlands (e.g. approximately 90% in the Skåne region). Sweden nevertheless remains one of the most wetland-rich countries in the world.
OBJECTIVES
The Life to ad(d)mire project aimed to halt the decrease of targeted wetland habitats and species at Natura 2000 network sites in Sweden, through hydrological restoration and vegetation measures. A long-term objective was that the hydrologically-restored active bogs will revert to being carbon sinks, and therefore stop the current loss of CO2 (due to drained peatland) into the atmosphere. The project area encompassed 40 430 ha on 35 Natura 2000 sites, with project actions directly targeting 3 852 ha. This area included the priority habitats ‘active raised bogs’ and ‘Aapa mires’. The project also targeted substantial parts of the habitats ‘degraded raised bogs’ and ‘alkaline fens’ in Sweden.
RESULTS
The Life to ad(d)mire project contributed to improving the conservation of 35 Natura 2000 network sites in Sweden, through hydrological measures and vegetation management. A total of 2 930 ha of mires were hydrologically restored at 28 sites by digging with excavators, building or repairing dams, and filling in ditches. The project managed vegetation on 1 831 ha at 31 sites, mainly removing scrubs and trees to improve conditions for breeding birds and other wetland species. It also removed overgrowth to access ditches, removed invading shrubs and trees, dredged two overgrown lakes used by birds to remove aquatic vegetation, and reinstated mowing on 18 ha. The removal of trees also reduces water loss by evapotranspiration.
By raising the water table and removing overgrowth, especially invading birch and pine trees growing on the mire as a result of unfavourable mire conditions due to poor hydrology from ditches, the target habitats were again made suitable for species that depend on wetlands for their survival. Through its direct conservation actions, the project improved the quality of 11 habitats of EU importance and had a positive effect on the hydrological situation on over 40 000 ha of peatlands, favouring 6 species listed in the annexes of the Habitats Directive and 19 species listed in the Birds Directive.
Key project deliverables were raising awareness, distributing information, and networking with landowners and local people affected by the restoration work. The project built 5 observation towers with information points, created a total of 21 500 m of hiking paths (with footbridges) at 12 sites, erected noticeboards at 8 sites, and produced a mire information book, information folders, and a website. The project was very active in promoting its restoration methods in the EU and internationally, for example, at conferences and seminars, and also in promoting the importance of peatlands in the mitigation of climate change.
The project restored mires and wetlands in 35 Natura 2000 network sites, primarily in areas that had been converted for agricultural use (e.g. hay making) and since abandoned. Due to the drainage ditches, the hydrology had become unfavourable. By filling ditches, clearing vegetation and taking other measures to raise the water table, the project reversed the loss of ecosystem services provided by these sites.
The most significant of the ecosystem services provided by peatlands in global terms is climate regulation. As a long term carbon store, peatlands are hugely important in climate change mitigation as they remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it in peat under waterlogged conditions. Drained peatlands are a significant source of carbon emissions. Restoring drained peatlands by rewetting has been demonstrated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and this is now an accepted climate mitigation activity under international climate change agreements. Ecosystem services that are important on a more local scale include water retention and water quality and flow regulation. By restoring these ecosystem services, the project has a significant social and economic impact.
Through its actions to restore habitats, the project contributed directly to the implementation of the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive. It also indirectly contributed by disseminating information about mires restoration methods. In addition to the nature directives, the project is relevant to climate action policy at the EU level.
The project demonstrated peatland restoration in a safe, economic and successful way. It attracted national and international attention, from stakeholders wanting to know more about the project’s approach.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Conservation Plan (see "Read more" section).
