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project title:
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Multifunctional use of Polish peatlands - a chance
for preservation of biodiversity
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region:
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Calowanie |
contact:
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Agata Klimkowska
e-mail: a.klimkowska@imuz.edu.pl,
a.klimkowska@rug.nl
Paulina Dzierza
e-mail: pdzierza@gazeta.pl
Wiktor Kotowski
e-mail: w.kotowski@imuz.edu.pl
website: http://www.lkp.org.pl/
(the project is hosted together with the number of other projects
on this website - the website is only available in Polish) |
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country:
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Poland |
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The project
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main goals:
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The overall project objective was to
develop sustainable management practices and economic activities
that ensures a long-term conservation and development of endangered
natural and cultural peat ecosystems in Poland. |
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main participants:
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Save Wetlands Association (Stowarzyszenie
Chronmy Mokradla - CMOK), Nature Club (Klub Przyrodników),
It Fryske Gea (Frisian Landscape), Groningen University, Utrecht
University, Agricultural University of Warsaw, local inhabitants
and stakeholders, Landscape Parks, State Forestry and StaatBosBeheer,
Local State Administration Offices. |
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time schedule:
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2003: education sub-project, information
campaign
2003-2005: nature management: mowing, shrub removal, top soil removal
2004-2005: monitoring of the effects, investigation of the possibilities
of top soil utilisation and selling wood chops (after shrub removing)
as biomass
2006: final workshop, project report and preparing the publication
(book in English and Polish) |
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project details:
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The Polish founds cover the cost of the
nature management activities (mowing, shrub removing, top soil removing,
building education trail, education activities).
Pin matra covers the costs of the monitoring and evaluation of effectiveness
of active wetland protection methods applied so far by CMok, testing
of new approaches and proposition of alternative (multifunctional)
use for the study area, costs of various expertises and costs of
the wood chopping. |
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budget:
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Polish Funds: € 63 000
PIN MATRA: € 50 000 (only Cmok budget) |
funded by:
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EKOFUND (Polish), GEF-small grants (Polish,
international), PIN MATRA found (Dutch Ministries) |
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Benefits
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ecological benefits:
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Nature management - mowing (20 ha) and
removal of willow shrubs (6 ha) from valuable moss fen and wet meadows
(target vegetation).
Nature restoration - top soil removal (0.2 ha) on the degraded meadow
on 20 and 40 cm depth, in order to remove the excess of nutrients
and the seeds of the ruderal and nitrophilous species as well as
to improve the hydrological conditions. In 2006 it was recorded
that the target plant communities were more abundant and more plants
were flowering. Also the birds of open habitats (lapwing, snipe)
started to breed in the project area. |
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socio-economic benefits:
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We analysed the costs and benefits of
nature management within the framework of agri-environmental schemes
(EU subsidy, form of 'farming for nature'). We promote and implement
of the AES in the area. The removed topsoil was given for free to
local farmers.
The branches after shrub removal were processed and soled as bio-fuel.
We made a preliminary market analysis, and estimated the costs and
benefits of such a way of biomass production.
In future, the sale of the top soil on larger scale might be an
alternative for illegal peat extraction and generate the income
which can be used for nature management. Large industry (such as
cement factory) or heating plants are interested in bio-fuel as
it is CO2-free fuel. By this scheme the costs of shrub removal can
be lowered, and low quality. |
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other benefits:
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In 2004 and 2005 several works and expertises
were performed aiming at better knowledge of the natural and socio-economical
situation of the investigated area. A study of the nature restoration
possibilities of the area has been produced. The network of the
partners and companies, that developed in the project resulted (and
will result) in a good cooperation and further projects (such as
application to Life-nature fund for conservation and upgrading the
habitats in several NATURA 2000 sites) |
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Fen meadow on Calowanie
(foto Agata Klimkowska)
Wood chops after willow shrub removal
(foto Gertjan Jobse)
Hay stocks - element of extensive farming landscape on Calowanie
(foto Gertjan Jobse)
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