LIFE PROJECTS FOR WETLAND
RESTORATION IN LITHUANIA
Nerijus Zableckis, projects manager
The International Workshop
“HARVESTED AND DAMAGED PEATLANDS:
PROSPECTS OF RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION”
20-22 September, 2016, Ventė, Šilutė region, Lithuania
Wetland restoration in Lithuania
• Total managed number of wetlands in Lithuania is about 15 sites. The
total managed area about ???
• The first known wetland restoration was done in Kamanos Nature
Reserve in 1984.
• In 2003-2004 Puščia wetland restored by Lithuanian Fund for Nature
• In 2004-2011 Nature Heritage project started the continuous project
“Biodiversity protection in Lithuanian Wetlands, which later from
2009 was continued as WETLIFE financed by LIFE. Main strict nature
reserves managed: Čepkeliai, Girutiškis, Kamanos, Viešvilė and
Žuvintas Biosphere Reserve.
• Ministry of Environment implemented restoration of wetlands in
several Lithuanian bogs.
AUKSTUMALA LIFE12 NAT/LT/000965
Restoration of raised bog of Aukstumala in
Nemunas Delta Regional Park
PROJECT LOCATION: Silute district,
Klaipeda county, Lithuania
BUDGET INFO:
Total amount: 733 077 EUR
% EC Co-funding: 75
% Lithuanian Ministry – 22
Project partners - ę
DURATION: Start: 01/09/2013 - End:30/06/2017
PROJECT’S IMPLEMENTORS:
Coordinating Beneficiary: Lithuanian Fund for Nature
Associated Beneficiary(ies):
Partners
Problem targeted
• Aukstumala raised bog is oldest scientifically researched wetland,
dating back to 1900. Nowadays the telmological reserve covers
1017 ha area.
• Main problem – impact of dense network of draining ditches.
Changed hydrological regime causes degradation of peat layer.
• Most of draining ditches were installed in the beginning of 20th
century while preparing the bog for mining. Also there is 4 km long
border with peatland, which drains the bog.
• The project’s main objective: restoration of natural hydrological
regime, which will help to reach and maintain favorable
conservation status of the "7110* Active Raised bog" habitat within
the Aukštumales Telmological Reserve. The foreseen conservation
actions will also support other Annex II habitat types: "3160 natural
dystrophic lakes” and bird species, found in the highmoor, e.g. Black
Grouse, Wood Sandpiper.
The International Workshop
“HARVESTED AND DAMAGED PEATLANDS: PROSPECTS OF RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION”
2016 09 20-22
a
3
8
b
2
1
4
7
5
6
Field trip (2016 09 22)
- train trip from a substrates factory
Klasmann-Deilmann Šilutė
- hiking to Aukštumala raised bog
- bus trip to Aukštumala educational trail
- hiking to Aukštumala educational trail
- stopping points
1-2 – experimental fields of Sphagnum growing
3 – ditche blocking and clearing of offsprings in a fireplace
4 – raised bog and bog pools area
5 – forest clearing
6 – measurement for protection of hydrological regime in
margins of the Reserve
7-8 – Aukštumala educational trail
Nature management by LIFE project
- ditch blocking
- offshoot clearing (a, b)
- forest clearing
1 km
What has been done
• Management plan and technical dam construction projects prepared
• About 800 out of 1200 dams installed, 60 ha of forest regrowth cleared,
another 40 ha of forest clearing in progress, all together 100 ha of wooded
vegetation to be removed
• Hydrological monitoring and biodiversity monitoring implemented
• Events organised: 2 study tours, 2 workshops, 2 photo exhibitions,
publications printed.
More information at
www.aukstumala.lt
Reduction of CO2 emissions by restoring degraded peatland in
Northern European Lowlands LIFE+ PEAT-RESTORE
LIFE15-CCM/DE/000138
Plinkšiai
Aukstumala
(exploited parts)
Sachara
Puščia
Danilava
What will be done
• 5 countries, over 5000 ha of wetlands (damages
wetlands, exploited peatlands) restored;
• GEST method for Green house gas emissions from
wetlands calibrated;
• Scenarios for wetland restoration established.