PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The UK has special responsibility for transition mires and quaking bogs (habitat 7140), with close to two-thirds of this habitat located in the Atlantic biogeographical region. Almost 8% is in Wales, mostly in the special areas of conservation (SACs) included in this project – Crymlyn Bog, North West Pembrokeshire Commons, Rhos Goch, Corsydd Eifionydd, Gweunydd Blaencleddau and Cors Caron. The habitat 7140 is assessed as unfavourable at all 6 sites, where the main issues include: extensive grazing or undergrazing; abandonment of management; mixed source air pollution; diffuse and point source pollution of surface and/or groundwater; and drainage.
In addition to restoring this habitat, the project will address associated populations of the marsh fritillary butterfly (Euphydryas aurinia) at Corsydd Eifionydd and Gweunydd Blaencleddau as well as an additional adjacent SAC (Preseli). The marsh fritillary has declined by almost 80% in occurrence (i.e. its range) and 10% in abundance from 1976 to 2014, and its conservation status was assessed unfavourable- inadequate at the UK report for the Habitats Directive- Article 17 (2013- 2018). The main issues impacting the marsh fritillary butterfly populations include: abandonment of grassland management, intensive grazing or overgrazing, drainage and natural succession.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE quake project’s aim is to restore transition mires and quaking bogs and their wider supporting wetland landscape to favourable conservation status and maintain them. To achieve this, it will re-establish the essential supporting environmental and habitat management conditions.
The specific objectives are to:
- Address adverse hydrological conditions by restoration of historical drainage and flow regimes responsible for the development of transition mire and quaking bog habitat;
- Establish the grazing regimes required to restore and retain over 160 ha of this habitat and its much wider supporting fen habitat, and 2 metapopulations of marsh fritillary butterfly on the 7 project SACs and their surrounding landscapes. In addition, appropriate sustainable grazing regimes will be restored and secured on the sites and across the wider landscape of supporting wetland habitat relevant to the conservation of these features and sufficient appropriate grazing land secured to support the butterfly metapopulations;
- Ensure the future of transition mires, quaking bogs and marsh fritillary by removing or controlling stands of problematic invasive native species (scrub) and limiting the spread of invasive alien species (IAS);
- Address adverse aerial, surface and groundwater nutrient regimes on the project sites including the development of 6 Site Nitrogen Action Plans providing a blueprint to reduce locally derived nitrogen emissions;
- Create hydrological conditions for more than 10 ha of additional early successional transition mires and quaking bogs;
- Raise understanding and appreciation amongst the public and local land managers (including farmers) and other stakeholders of the importance of transition mires, quaking bogs, marsh fritillary and associated SAC features and their conservation requirements;
- Develop and implement monitoring techniques to measure the effectiveness of restoration and management techniques for transition mires, quaking bogs and marsh fritillary and the wider implications of this restoration in terms of ecosystem services and socio-economic benefits; and
- Promote and disseminate the project findings by a programme of networking, within Wales and across the Atlantic biogeographical region, and by the development and publication of a best practice management handbook for transition mires and quaking bogs.
The project will make a significant contribution to improving or reaching favourable conservation status for multiple habitats and species listed in Annex I and II of the EU Habitats Directive and is also in line with the EU’s 2030 biodiversity strategy. By tackling the invasion of transition mire and quaking bog stands by Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera), LIFE quake will help safeguard the Wales and Great Britain red list species slender cottongrass (Eriophorum gracile) and contribute to delivery of the EU IAS Regulation.
The project will also help implement some measures identified in the UK Prioritised Action Framework 2016, including the development of ‘major externally funded projects on key lowland wetland sites which are failing to reach favourable condition based on hydrological issues’. Links to the IUCN UK Peatland Programme will enable the project to contribute (via guidance, reports, training and a best practice guide) and influence the IUCN at European level.
LIFE quake will also deliver actions in support of the EU Water Framework Directive, including improvements in the ecological status of transition mires and quaking bogs and the supporting peatland habitat area, providing downstream benefits to the ecological status of 6 river water bodies. In addition, the project is in line with the European Landscape Convention as its habitat restoration work will deliver improvements to landscapes within 2 national parks.RESULTS
Expected results:
- Almost 10 ha of land purchased to create additional transition mire and quaking bog habitat, notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest before the project end, declared as a National Nature Reserve and proposed for designation as an SAC/Emerald site;
- Traditional drainage patterns restored on 6 SACs, achieving water levels and water chemistry regimes favourable to transition mires and quaking bogs, and enabling grazing. At Crymlyn Bog this will involve restoration of 2 km of canal and creation of 1,700 m of diversion ditch, and elsewhere restoration of traditional small scale anthropogenic drainage;
- Installation of up to 10 control structures to achieve the water level regimes required by transition mires and quaking bogs;
- Installation of almost 50 km of fencing along with other infrastructure to improve access for graziers;
- Trial use of virtual fencing systems on difficult terrain (or where physical fencing may be undesirable), including on common land;
- Controlled burning restored on almost 20 ha to remove excess litter and facilitate grazing in areas that are otherwise difficult to access;
- Appropriate grazing implemented for transition mires, quaking bogs and marsh fritillary over nearly 560 ha, with additional grazing on up to 200 ha to support 2 viable marsh fritillary populations;
- Conditions created for the development of more than 10 ha of transition mires and quaking bogs, trialling the use of mowing, shallow scraping and deeper excavation to remove smothering vegetation or enriched peat;
- Mowing and biomass collection to reduce the dominance of problematic species and enable grazing on over 140 ha;
- Invasive scrub removed from more than 110 ha;
- Reduction of nutrient enrichment impacts on transition mires and quaking bogs;
- Installation of 21 constructed wetlands or other features to intercept and remove nutrients from key hydrological pathways;
- Development of 6 Site Nitrogen Action Plans affecting almost 4,500 ha of SAC; and
- Spread of IAS controlled, especially Impatiens glandulifera and swamp stonecrop (Crassula helmsii).
