PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The Natura 2000 network site ‘Emmericher Ward’ in Germany, near the Dutch border, hosts several habitats and associated species of Community interest. In particular, it is designated as a key area for breeding and resting sites of numerous bird species. However, the soil over the whole of this Natura 2000 site is progressively drying up due to the falling level of the river Rhine. A common strategy to address this is to lower the level of the riverside land, but this can causea loss of existing structural elements and a further subsidence of groundwater level in the hinterland. Therefore, alternative water retention measures are needed to actively manage the water table for the benefit of characteristic habitats and species, and to counter the continuously subsiding level of the Rhine. The Emmericher Ward offers an excellent opportunity for developing such measures to manage and stabilise water levels in alluvial sites with high conservation value.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE Wetland Emmerich project aims to restore the floodplain areas of the ‘Emmericher Ward’ Natura 2000 site, by developing water retention measures, opening the polder (land reclaimed from the river) to summer flood waters, and using active irrigation methods. Therefore, the project will demonstrate an alternative strategy to the common practice along the Rhine of removing soil and lowering the inner dike areas of polders. The actions will benefit habitats and species of conservation interest, in particular migrating and wintering bird species. These new best practices will have good potential for replication and transfer.
Specific actions targeting habitats and species include:
Restoring oxbows to re-establish ‘natural eutrophic lakes’ habitat; Expanding mudflats to restore ‘rivers with muddy banks’ habitat; Creating tide pools to increase the area of ‘hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities’ habitat; Reintroducing plant species to improve ‘river-related semi-dry grasslands’ habitat; Expanding breeding populations of many bird species by re-wetting summer polder, creating temporary water bodies and breeding rafts (for terns), and maintaining diverse herbaceous vegetation and reed beds; Restoring alluvial waters for protected species of fish and newt; and Improving habitat for otter (Lutra lutra). The project is directly relevant to the Habitats Directive, Birds Directive, and the Water Framework Directive.
Expected results:
Restoration of about 290 ha ofRhine floodplain, including flooded areas with characteristic flora and habitats, and maintenance of groundwater levels especially in spring and early summer; Raised soil moisture levels and extension of tide pools and inundated areas of different characteristics over about 9 ha; Restoration of oxbow and eutrophic lakes (1.5 ha), and tide pools and inundated areas (2.5 ha), as breeding habitat for birds, including several species of the Birds Directive such as gadwall (Anas strepera), garganey (A. querquedula), northern shoveler (A. clupeata) and black tern (Chlidonias niger), and as a habitat for European bitterling (Rhodeus amarus) and northern crested newt (Triturus cristatus); Secured breeding populations of lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) and other meadow birds (e.g. Tringa totanus, Numenius arquata, Anthus pratensis) in the floodplain; Large-scale restoration and enhancement of ‘tall herb fringe communities’, in mosaic with annuals, reeds and mud corridors in the lower parts of the summer polder and near the river Rhine (7 ha), as important habitat for breeding populations of several bird species of Community importance, including bluethroat (Luscinia svecica), European stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) and Eurasian reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus); Improved riverine grassland habitat (3 ha); and Optimised breeding and foraging habitat for corncrake (Crex crex) and white stork (Ciconia ciconia).
