SER Europe conferences are held every two years in different cities of European countries. This time it was held in Reykjavík, Iceland. These conferences are dedicated to ecological restoration in different fields – peatlands and other habitats, and plant and animal species. The focus of the SER Europe 2018 was on the goals and methods … read more
On 10 October 2018, Latvian Television aired a broadcast dedicated to peatland ecosystems. This was a series within a popular science broadcast called Impulse of Discovery (Izziņas impulss in Latvian). In the broadcast, the role of peatlands in regulating flooding and climate by sequestering greenhouse gases (GHG) was explained, as well as the conflicting nature … read more
Since 2005, European Researchers’ Night has been organized on every last Friday of September. This year, on September 28, the event was hosted by the Botanical Garden of the University of Latvia in Riga. Cultural heritage was chosen as the topic for 2018. LIFE Peat Restore team participated by creating the Mire laboratory, among several … read more
The overall objective of the project Life Peat Restore is the reduction of the greenhouse gases emission of peatlands on the project sites. One of the aims of project is to contribute in significant way the halting the loss of biodiversity and degradation of ecosystem services. Many specialized species inhabit natural peatlands, making them critical … read more
LIFE Peat Restore participated in the 50th Anniversary Jubilee Symposium of the International Peatland Society (IPS), celebrated recently in Rotterdam (Netherlands). IPS is an organisation dedicated to the responsible management and wise use of peatlands and peat. Representatives of major international organisations and the peat industry participated in panel discussions and presentations, from institutions like … read more
Measurements of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from peatlands have started on all the project sites, in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany. This summer, NABU’s national coordinator visited Estonia and Latvia, to supervise and assist with the instalment of the GHG monitoring plots. Testing of the instrumental measurement system was successful. Valuable data on GHG … read more
In August 2018, establishment of vegetation monitoring plots is completed in all Latvian project areas – Lake Engure, Augstroze and Baltezers Mire. The vegetation monitoring is necessary to assess the vegetation condition before and after the peatland restoration proposed within LIFE Peat Restore project. Along with monitoring of groundwater table, instrumental greenhouse gas (GHG) measurements … read more
In August 2018, in the Latvian project areas – Engures ezers, Baltezera purvs and Augstroze – the greenhouse gas (GHG) monitoring plots were installed and the first instrumental measurements started. GHG monitoring is necessary to measure the amount of emissions before peatland restoration in drained conditions and after blocking of ditches to assess the impact … read more
Restoration of damaged mire habitats is one of the most important objectives of the LIFE Peat Restore project. With such an objective, several preparatory actions must be carried out before implementing active nature management; chief among them is the preparation and approval of technical and management plans. Currently, almost all nature management and technical plans … read more
The LIFE Peat Restore partners – Lithuanian Fund for Nature, University of Latvia, Tallinn University, NABU and Naturalists Club – have developed a brief analysis of the regulatory framework of peatland use in their respective countries – Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Germany and Poland. The analyses describe the key legislations that address peatland use and protection … read more
