PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The Rambow Moor is part of the biosphere nature reserve in the Elbe-Brandenburg river landscape in the extreme north-west of Brandenburg, on the border with Mecklenburg and Western Pomerania. This semi-natural, calcareous mire area with its shallow lakes, reed beds and alder fen forests and their many springs and dry hay meadows, is a breeding and hibernation area for the bittern (Botaurus stellaris) and crane (Grus grus). The European otter also takes refuge here, and the large copper butterfly (Lycaena dispar) flutters about the reed beds, in which its caterpillars find their favourite food plants (in particular the water dock, Rumex hydrolapathum). Peaceful and natural though this picture may seem, all is not as it should be: a negative water balance, especially in the summer months, allows the bog to become too dry, leading to terrestrialisation of the Rambow lake. Intensive farming along the shoreline and, in some parts, reed cutting place a further strain on the reed beds. At the project start only one or two male bittern can be heard calling from amongst the reeds. Why bother with a LIFE project then? is a question that could be asked. The answer is that the project area is on the south-western edge of the bittern's habitat in Northern Germany. Between 1970 and 1990, bittern numbers in Germany fell by over 50%. The population must therefore be helped to recover, working inwards from the outside so that surviving birds are not pushed back to a small residual area. To achieve this, bittern habitats such as the Rambow Moor must be preserved and improved.
OBJECTIVES
The project aimed at revitalising the Rambow Moor by securing its water supply. To stabilise and raise the water level, measures would include water retention by constructing weirs and dams in the Nausdorf Canal, which drains the bog, and building smaller dams in the vicinity. To do this, land first had to be purchased. Also, surrounding alder fen forests needed to be stabilised to serve as hibernation areas for the bittern, and farming in surrounding areas extensified. Plans were for parts of the bog to be designated refuges to prevent intrusion, since increasing levels of unmanaged tourism, fishing and reed cutting would disturb the timid bittern. It was also planned to provide new facilities for tourists, including a plank walkway to be laid across part of the bog to channel the flow of visitors.
RESULTS
The project achieved the following results: - 14 inventories of habitat types and Annex II species - 1 hydrological and 1 management plan - acquisition of 87.4 ha land (plus 38 ha acquired parallel to the LIFE project) - long-term lease of 94.6 ha land - one-off compensation to landowners affected by project works and to land users affected by loss of use/restrictions on use beyond what the agri-environment programmes accept - construction of a large dam at the outlet Rambower See which rehumidifies 150 ha land - construction of 35 small dams across ditches and watercourses to retain water; - diversion of regulated Kavelbeck stream back to its original course, so that water from hillside springs flows back to the core wetlands; - works on 8 ditches to improve water retention and seepage into surrounding land; - closure of 6 ditches by filling them in; - removal or modification of 3 culverts/pipes; - lowering the gradient of banks at two former peat diggings; - removal of rubbish from 3 springs; - set-up of a hydrological monitoring network; - initial clearance of botanically valuable but overgrown land at 11 places, followed by appropriate recurring management or permanent rehumidification; - fencing a large block of valuable wet species-rich grassland and introducing a mosaic of non-use/extensive grazing by horses; - removal of conifers and planting of deciduous trees, to reduce evapotranspiration, in woods in the buffer zone (two places); - establishment of conservation-oriented reed cutting (in core zone), ditch maintenance and cleaning (in central project area) and mowing/grazing regimes (various places, often with agri-environment support); - establishment of an agreement with local anglers about angling in the Nausdorfer Kanal (bittern foraging area); - construction of one observation tower; - construction of a nature trail with boardwalk; - erection of 5 information panels; - 1 leaflet, 1 folder, 2 booklets; - elaboration of an exhibition; - launch of an annual theatre performance to promote the Rambower Moor; - 70 excursions in the project area, including one for the 2002 Green Days. The management plan prepared by the project divides the project area into ‘management sectors’, for each of which a description and specific objectives are given. The measures based on these are assessed on two scales: priority in conservation terms (priority 1: achieves many conservation objectives and covers large part of pSCI; 3: local effect only) and feasibility (letters A – high acceptance, no difficult permit procedures, good cost-benefit ratio – to C – low acceptance, great efforts needed). So a 1A measure should be implemented first as it is both easy to carry out as giving high conservation return. This method simplified the process of deciding what is feasible within the LIFE project. The project has had a positive effect on the target species, Botaurus stellaris. Whereas in 2000 no bitterns were observed, 4 calling males were recorded in 2002, and there was almost certainly one nest, while in 2003 these four males called over a much longer period than before, there were two nests for sure, and many visual observations of the birds were made. These observations were concentrated in places where ditches had been adapted by the project, showing that this action was attracting the birds. Ixobrychus minutus, which had not been recorded during the period 2000-2002, returned in 2003. Circus aeruginosus (currently a small stable population) is also expected to benefit in the medium term. The creation of refuges and the rehumidification work will benefit the otter. Populations of Lycaena dispar varied during the project, although 2003 was an excellent year (because of the weather). However, the measures undertaken by the project, particularly non-use or restricted use of critical areas and establishment of vegetation mosaics, should have a beneficial effect as they are based on the results and recommendations of a survey on Lycaena ecology. The project’s inventories discovered three hitherto unknown Annex II species in the Rambower Moor: Leucorhinia pectoralis, Vertigo angustior, Vertigo moulinsiana (as well as the rare dragonfly Coenagrion ornatum, which is not on Annex II). They will all benefit from the measures, and in fact some of the work to renaturalise watercourses was specifically targeting dragonflies. The amphibian Triturus cristatus, which was known before the project, should also profit from the work. On the other hand, the inventories found no trace of the Annex II plant Liparis loeselii which had been recorded in the past, but would appear to be extinct now. The rehumidification will have a positive impact on the conservation status of the Annex I habitats ‘natural eutrophic lakes’, ‘ash-alder woods along streams’ and ‘tall-herb vegetation in humid areas’ The Angelico-cirsietum oleracei and Calthion meadows, although not Annex I, will also benefit from the project work. This is important, as the population of Lycaena dispar depends on the Calthion grassland. The project is considered a good demonstration of mire regeneration by universities in northern Germany, because it is compact and clearly demarcated, and already several research projects have been launched in it. An ex-post monitoring programme has been set up and will be implemented by the Biosphere Reserve rangers and local universities. The project devoted much effort towards building up relationships with the local community. Besides many meetings, a ‘regional interests group’ – consisting of local mayors, the land owner association of the Rambower Lake (Seegemeinschaft), farmers, the water authority WBV and the reed cutters – was set up to guarantee that the project is aware of the needs and wishes of local farmers and landowners. Some of the communications work was quite innovative. The project was presented during a local summer festival at Boberow in 2000 via excursions, “dragonfly”-cocktails, “peat”-dishes, the Moor-Witch and a theatre performance aimed at people who are normally not interested in nature conservation issues. This successful performance was repeated in the summers of 2001, 2002 and 2003. The theatre performances are open air, on the edge of the Natura 2000 area, and are adjoined by a project stand (which becomes a centrepoint for discussions). The acting is done by students from the Rostock theatre school and in 2002 and 2003 the theatre festival was organised jointly by the project and the Boberow villagers. Thus the local fire brigade and sports club both gave technical help to set up and run the performance. The project organised an excursion for the Green Days 2002 called ‘Natura 2000 - Nature For You’ which combined a site visit with a get-together around a campfire. Besides the project's work to support nature-based tourism, LEADER II has funded a second platform and 15 nature trails in the district, including a circular path around the Rambower Moor. By halting peat mineralisation, the project has helped improve water quality in the popular bathing lake Rudower See downstream, which suffered from phosphate eutrophication. Agri-environment (Regulation 1257/99) is used for the recurring management of many of the humid grasslands and it has been strongly promoted among farmers by the project. EAGGF-Guidance cofinanced the construction of a weir across the Nausdorfer Kanal which rehumidifies the central part of the project area, complementing the work of the project.