Restoration & Conservation

If not state otherwise, the text in this chapter is derived from: Convention on Wetlands. (2021). Global guidelines for peatland rewetting and restoration. Ramsar Technical Report No. 11. Gland, Switzerland: Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands.

The major long-term goal of the Paris agreement is preventing the increases in global temperatures above 2 °C compared to pre-industrialisation period (UNFCCC, 2015). This agreement provides great opportunity for each country to take actions that will mitigate greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) for preventing increases in global temperatures (Kona et al., 2016). The European Union (EU) is committed for quantifying GHGs emissions and removals from different land uses, including wetlands, especially peatlands (Pschenyckyj et al., 2021). Despite sequestering carbon in the form of undecomposed plant materials, pristine peatlands with good vegetation cover provide a variety of other ecosystem services such as water retention, improved water quality, biodiversity and habitats for wildlife (Glenk and Martin-Ortega, 2018).


Bare peat site

Drained Irish peatland showing parallel drainage networks for lowering water table (Photo courtesy: SWAN, Ireland, http://www.swanireland.ie/threats-to-our-waters/peat-extraction)

Consequences of Peatland drainage

Draining peatlands by lowering groundwater levels, not only leads to substantial greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) but also results in the destruction of peatland vegetation (e.g. sphagnum mosses, ling heather) and thus creates bare surfaces (Tanneberger et al., 2016) prone to erosion. In combination with agricultural activity this degrades water quality of adjoining rivers and streams  (Tanneberger et al., 2020). In summary, drained peatlands adversely affect carbon sequestration, biodiversity, water quality and human health (Bonn et al., 2014). 

To (partially) reverse the negative effects of peatland drainage, restoration in the form of rewetting of the peatlands and re-establishment of the peatland vegetation, can stop and even reverse the peatland degradation. Chances of completely restoring a drained peatland to its pristine state are slim however, and focus should be on conserving the existing peatlands. Depending on local hydrology, but also societal constraints given by legislation and public support, different restoration paths can be taken. To avoid unexpected results and costs, proper planning and setting of restoration goals is vital.

Peatland restoration

Peatland rewetting is been extensively carried out across Europe by private programs, institutions, governmental organizations, NGO etc. While climate change mitigation by peatland rewetting is gaining more attention, it still needs the active participation of farmers and landowners across Europe to make rewetting successful. 

This toolbox provides a comprehensive three step approach to peatland restoration. This can be a starting point, from which more detailed and site specific information can be gathered.

The Carbon Connects and other EU projects, such as Care-Peat and EU Life, are rewetting their pilot scale sites and implementing various natural based solutions on their rewetted peatland sites to not only sequester carbon, but also enhance biodiversity, improving water quality and demonstrating business models that have the potential for providing financial incentives for landowners and farmers. Below you can find two examples of restoration processes implemented in the UK and Ireland on upland peat bogs, and one example from Belgium in a lowland peatland.

Blocked drainage ditch

Drain blocking on the Irish Carbon Connects pilot site by constructing peat dams
(Photo: Dr. Patrick Crushell & landowner)

A Five-step Approach to Peatland Restoration from the north Pennines, UK

The North Pennines AONB Partnership has been restoring peatlands for nearly 20 years. Following a successful and ongoing programme of grip blocking to rewet sites and slow the flow of water off moorlands, the focus was shifted to restoration of bare and eroding peat areas. The North Pennines AONB Partnership developed a five-step process to restoration designed to address each feature of a degraded peatland in northern England. Find out more

Peatland restoration in Ireland

Drained peatlands are being restored/reactivated/rehabilitated using rewetting via drain/ditch blocking, allowing groundwater table to rise to the peat surface for reducing GHG emissions, sequestering carbon, improving water quality and enhancing biodiversity (Mackin et al., 2017).

The degradation of Irish peatlands is resulting in lower carbon sequestration, increased GHGs emissions, poor water quality and low biodiversity. However, currently, drained Irish peatlands are being increasingly rewetted by Bord na Mona, Coillte, National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), EIP AGRI projects such as Hen Harrier and Freshwater Pearl Mussel project and various EU projects such as Carbon Connects and Care-Peat etc.

Click here to find out more about peatland restoration in Ireland

Rewetting peatlands in the flemish polders

Many of the peatlands in the polder area of the west of Flanders (Belgium) are part of the Natura 2000 network and dedicated as nature reserves. During last decades these areas have however been drained for intensive agricultural use. In order to meet the objectives as Natura 2000 areas, major habitat restoration is necessary. Rewetting of these areas is not only the prime measure for habitat restoration, but also makes sure that degradation of the peat layer due to drainage is prevented or reversed. Thus rewetting serves both habitat restoration and climate change mitigation. Read mroe about the project here.

Webinar on Sustainable Farming for Peatlands

In this first session of the "Sustainable Farming for Peatlands" conference, we discussed existing and future solutions to support farmers in North West Europe in the restoration of peatlands, with the actors of the Carbon Connects project, but also with the participation of Niall Ó Brolcháin from the Care Peat project.