Natura 2000 Seminars Continental 1. Conservation and management of Continental Wetlands in Germany

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1 1 Expert input sheet Conservation and management of Continental Wetlands in Germany Contributor Veronika Feichtinger, Günter Riegel Habitat(s): Alkaline fens Biogeographical region: Continental Member state: Germany Region(s) (if applicable): - Issues and pressures There are several pressures and threats like A 01 Cultivation: The alkaline fens often were drained in order to facilitate mowing; as a consequence the use was intensified, for example by earlier mowing. Intensification with mowing more than once a year - whereby fertilization is normally included - leads to relatively species-poor grassland without characteristic species of the former habitat A02 - modification of cultivation practices A 03: abandonment/lack of mowing): The abandonment leads first of all to a loss of species and later on to a colonisation with shrubs and trees. A06 - annual and perennial non-timber crops A08 - Fertilisation D01 - Roads, paths and railroads D04 - airports, flightpaths D05 - Improved access to site E01 - Urbanised areas, human habitation E02 - Industrial or commercial areas E04 - Structures, buildings in the landscape H04 - Air pollution, air-borne pollutants J02 - human induced changes in hydraulic conditions: Groundwater abstractions for agriculture or for public water supply: Groundwater abstraction (e. g. by ditches) leads to a less specific, dryer vegetation and to a more intensive used grassland or to an increasing growth of scrubs and trees. K02 - Biocenotic evolution, succession M01 - Changes in abiotic conditions But the main thread is drainage and low water level.

2 2 Conservation requirements There are several management requirements and responses like: Policy based actions - Development of management plans - Implementation of management plans Habitat and site based actions - Maintenance/Conservation - Restoration - Corridors - Expansion of protected areas The main disadvantage is non-availability of the bog-sites. Almost all bogs are private property and divided into a huge number of small patches which belong to different people. Therefore the main requirement is availability of sites for restoration and rewetting. All others are secondary. A lot of alkaline fens have been drained, so you have to block the ditches in order to restore the hydrological conditions and to reduce the intensity of use in the fens and the surrounding areas. The optimal use depends on the structure and growth of vegetation: On sites with dense vegetation cover: mowing once a year in autumn; on other sites: mowing every two or three years, very few alkaline fens do not need any management In petrifying springs with tufa formation (Cratoneurion) every management has to be done very carefully and only if necessary; these habitats are easily damaged by heavy machines, therefore they should be managed by manual work or lightweight cutter bars. Conservation management Most of the alkaline fens are used by cutting; these measures can be funded by the Bavarian contractual nature conservation program. The sites normally have to be used by cutting in order to conserve the high biodiversity; the alkaline fens are often associated with wetland-meadows and should be managed together with them. Furthermore buffer zone free of fertilization should be established in order to prevent nutrient depositions. Additional: Regional marketing initiatives for cuttings/litter (Allgäuer Streuebörse - We try to get hand on restorable patches. As soon as we have some, they will be rewetted on a scientific based hydrological plan. The aim is to re-establish a groundwater level at surface niveau all year round by destroying drainage. Species specific management: Yes

3 3 Very import is the date of mowing, e. g. for late flowering plants or butterflies flying or reproducing in later summer, e. g. Gentiana pneumonathe, Swertia perennis or Maculinea alcon Phengaris teleius, 1061 Phengaris nausithous, 1038 Leucorrhinia albifrons, 1035 Leucorrhinia caudalis, 1042 Leucorrhinia pectoralis 1039 Sympecma paedisca, 1903 Liparis loeselii, 1065 Euphydryas aurinia, 1044 Coenagrion mercuriale, 1614 Apium repens, 1903 Liparis loeselii, 1013 Vertigo geyeri Barriers and bottlenecks One could call it uncooperative owners or other stakeholders. But there is so much pressure on land or area that hardly any private owner will cooperate. It is necessary that the public/state gets the ownership or long term availability. - The sites almost are in private property. On the one hand and many owners of fen sites are not interested in reducing the intensity of land use. On the other hand many of the sites are difficult to manage, e. g. you can only mow with light machinery, so they often fell out of use. - An important reason is the lack of man-power for project-management. The cooperation with private land owners, farmers and foresters needs time. The staffs being engaged in Natura 2000 is limited; therefore difficult measures can hardly be realized. - Getting financial support is relatively complicated for the farmers and is connected with a high administrative effort. Solutions and opportunities We have to go on step by step to get one patch after the other available steadily. This needs money but even more manpower. Solutions only can be reached step by step with focus on different activities: Cooperation with landowners and farmers in a continuous dialogue: You can raise awareness of the demands of nature conservation and combined with fundings adapt land use and carry out measures such as regeneration of bogs and fens. A better financial support for management measures combined with less complicated conditions (unbureaucratic) for farmers/land owners to get access to funding. Public relations and communication: By information and e. g. excursions you can gain support and influence political decisions. Initiate projects and acquire funds for project management and measures: The possibilities of realizing projects can be enlarged by separate projects, e. g. the Allgäuer Moorallianz (bog-alliance of the Allgäu region) and the Allgäuer Streuebörse (

4 4 Cross cutting issues Relevance of fens for climate change, negative consequences of intensively used fens; reduction of land use intensity, regenerate extensively used grasslands in order to reduce nutrient input and to rise biodiversity There are already numerous cross-sectoral approaches e.g. LIFE-projects. We will go on this way with our restricted personal resources. Lessons learned / best practice Best practice/examples: Allgäuer Streuebörse ( - Preventing alkaline fens from being abandoned, exchanging experiences with the best use of these habitats and the right machinery and technique - Marketing of cuttings/litter in order to ensure its use in the farms and to keep the regional cycles running LIFE-Project: Rosenheimer Stammbeckenmoore (English Website: Project Biotopverbund Eggstätt-Hemhofer Seenplatte und Seeoner Seen / Eggstätt Hemhof Lake District and Seeon Lakes (Folder in English: Bavarian Program on climate protection Special program on bog restoration ( LIFE-Project: Chiemseemoore Opportunities for joint action - Networking of experts and projects for optimizing methods and exchange of experiences - Developing model approaches for the sustainable use of moorlands in different countries in cooperation with the agricultural administrations - Examples and inform References Feichtinger, V. (2012): Klimaprogramm Bayern 2020 Moore ( ) in Oberbayern. In: TELMA Berichte der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Moor- und Torfkunde Band 42, Seite , Hannover, November 2012 Freibauer, A. et. al. (2009): Das Potenzial von Wäldern und Mooren für den Klimaschutz in Deutschland und auf globaler Ebene. In: Natur und Landschaft Heft 1, 84. Jahrgang

5 5 Drösler, M. et. al. (2011): Klimaschutz durch Moorschutz in der Praxis. In: Arbeitsberichte aus dem vti- Institut für Agrarrelevante Klimaforschung 04/2011, Braunschweig, Berlin, Freising, Jena, Müncheberg, Wien im April 2011 Siuda, C. et. al. (2010): Moorrenaturierung kompakt Handlungsschlüssel für die Praxis. UmweltSpezial, Bayerisches Landesamt für Umwelt, Augsburg