Assessment and Spatial Planning for Peatland Conservation and Restoration: Europe’s Trans-Border Neman River Basin as a Case Study
Michael Manton,
Evaldas Makrickas,
Piotr Banaszuk,
Aleksander Kołos,
Andrzej Kamocki,
Mateusz Grygoruk,
Marta Stachowicz,
Leonas Jarašius,
Nerijus Zableckis,
Jūratė Sendžikaitė,
Jan Peters,
Maxim Napreenko,
Wendelin Wichtmann,
Per Angelstam
Affiliations
Michael Manton
Institute of Forest Biology and Silviculture, Faculty of Forest Science and Ecology, Vytautas Magnus University, Studentu 13, LT-53362 Akademija, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
Evaldas Makrickas
Institute of Forest Biology and Silviculture, Faculty of Forest Science and Ecology, Vytautas Magnus University, Studentu 13, LT-53362 Akademija, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
Piotr Banaszuk
Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska 45 E, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland
Aleksander Kołos
Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska 45 E, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland
Andrzej Kamocki
Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska 45 E, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland
Mateusz Grygoruk
Institute of Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-999 Warsaw, Poland
Marta Stachowicz
Institute of Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-999 Warsaw, Poland
Leonas Jarašius
Foundation for Peatlands Restoration and Conservation, Zirmunu 58-59, LT-09100 Vilnius, Lithuania
Nerijus Zableckis
Lithuanian Fund for Nature, Algirdo 22-3, LT-03218 Vilnius, Lithuania
Jūratė Sendžikaitė
Institute of Botany, Nature Research Centre, Žaliųjų Ežerų 49, LT-12200 Vilnius, Lithuania
Jan Peters
Michael Succow Foundation, Partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre, Ellernholzstrasse 1/3, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
Maxim Napreenko
Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 36, Nahimovskiy Prospekt, 117997 Moscow, Russia
Wendelin Wichtmann
Experimental Plant Ecology, Partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre, Institute for Botany and Landscape Ecology, Greifswald University, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
Per Angelstam
School for Forest Management, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-739 21 Skinnskatteberg, Sweden
Peatlands are the “kidneys” of river basins. However, intensification of agriculture and forestry in Europe has resulted in the degradation of peatlands and their biodiversity (i.e., species, habitats and processes in ecosystems), thus impairing water retention, nutrient filtration, and carbon capture. Restoration of peatlands requires assessment of patterns and processes, and spatial planning. To support strategic planning of protection, management, and restoration of peatlands, we assessed the conservation status of three peatland types within the trans-border Neman River basin. First, we compiled a spatial peatland database for the two EU and two non-EU countries involved. Second, we performed quantitative and qualitative gap analyses of fens, transitional mires, and raised bogs at national and sub-basin levels. Third, we identified priority areas for local peatland restoration using a local hotspot analysis. Nationally, the gap analysis showed that the protection of peatlands meets the Convention of Biological Diversity’s quantitative target of 17%. However, qualitative targets like representation and peatland qualities were not met in some regional sub-basins. This stresses that restoration of peatlands, especially fens, is required. This study provides an assessment methodology to support sub-basin-level spatial conservation planning that considers both quantitative and qualitative peatland properties. Finally, we highlight the need for developing and validating evidence-based performance targets for peatland patterns and processes and call for peatland restoration guided by social-ecological research and inter-sectoral collaborative governance.
