Restoration of wetlands and peatlands in the North-West Region (NWPEAT)

Description

Accelerating the degradation of some peatland ecosystems against the background of the increasing effects of anthropogenic action on the environment is in present the challenge of stakeholders or funding, whether refer to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the EU Territorial Cohesion Policy 2021-2027, or other European and national documentation. Responding to the objective of RO-Environment Programme, the NWPEAT project contributes to improving the state of ecosystems and reducing the effects of anthropogenic pressure by implementing specific restoration work, under the Wetland Restoration Schemes in the North-West Region of Romania.

The specific objectives are: improving the ecological status of habitats associated with restoration schemes in the North-West Region; raising target group awareness on the peatland ecosystems conservation in the North-West Region; improving geographical information tools for decision-makers; strengthening the partnership between Romania and Norway. These results are translated into specific studies associated with restoration schemes, monitoring plans for each wetland, a restoration guide for all targeted wetlands, as well as a series of project materials, in digital and printed format. Seen as a project that can ensure the local development of administrative units with wetlands/peatlands, the direct beneficiaries of the project are local authorities and the local community, while the indirect beneficiary is the general audience. The information and publicity activities and materials is targeting a generous spectrum of the target audience (local, regional, and national authorities, local community, tourists, tourists information centres, regional and national agencies, LAGs, NGOs).

Summary of project results

The main challenge for decision makers or funding bodies, whether we refer to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the European Union’s Territorial Cohesion Policy 2021-2027, or other European and national public policies, is to deal with the accelerating degradation of peatland ecosystems.

The general objective of the project aims to improve the state of the environment in fragile peatland ecosystems and to reduce the effects of anthropogenic activity, through the restoration works proposed for each restoration scheme. The general objective of the project “Restoration of wetlands and peatlands in the North-West Region” (NWPEAT) is to restore ten wetlands areas located in the North-West Region.

Based on the real and current situations found on the field, the concrete measures, needed to remove the pressures and threats, were proposed and applied in the project for the following peatlands/wetlands (74.178 ha ~ 0.742 sqkm) situated in the North-West region of Romania: BH-005 – Bălileasa; BH-011 – Onceasa; BH-015 – Tinovul Ic Ponor (4 isolated wetlands); BN-007 – Tinovul Câmpeilor (Grădinița); BN-015 – Tinovul Teșna Împuțită (Grădinița); MM-016 – Iezerul Mare (Tinovul Hărniceștilor); CJ-044 – La Poduri; SJ-001 – Mlaștina de la Iaz; BZ-001 – Lacul Sec; BZ-003 – Lacul Manta. More than 13,277 people benefit from their restoration.

The project implementation performed: an initial assessment of the conservation status of ecosystems in the 10 wetlands/peatlands of the North-West Region by developing specific studies and preparing documentation to obtain the compulsory environmental agreements; the implementation of restoration works for each wetland; monitoring and post-monitoring of the restoration works; raising awareness for wetlands in the North-West Region; dissemination of the project results.

The project has fully achieved all its objectives and proposed results.

The main NW PEAT project activities planned are:

A1. Assessment of peatland ecosystems and wetland ecosystem services. The assessment of peatland ecosystems and wetland ecosystem services, carried out in the first 6 months of the project, includes 2 sub-activities:

• Assessment of peatland ecosystems in the North-West Region, a sub-activity that involves updating the state-of-the-art on the peatland’s conservation with the identification of pressures in the 10 wetlands/peatlands of the North-West Region. The update will be made based on the consultation of the latest scientific studies and, especially, based on field trips.
• Elaboration of support studies for obtaining regulatory acts in the field of environment, which is one necessary step for the implementation of restoration works.

A2. Implementation of restoration works for wetlands in the North-West Region. The aim of the activity is to restore the peatland ecosystems functions; the results of restoration are focus on obtaining an optimal hydrological balance and improving the state of ecosystems. This objective justifies the need for restoration interventions in each analyzed site.

A3. Monitoring of restoration works for wetlands in the North-West Region. In order to validate the efficiency of the restoration works undertaken, monitoring actions are provided for these works and the wetlands in which it was intervened, both during the implementation of the project and, subsequently, in the next 5 years. Validation of wetland interventions is done through monitoring and post-monitoring of wetlands, field visits, processing of aerial imagery, and collection, and processing of data collected from the field.

A4. Carrying out awareness-raising actions for the target group on the conservation of peatland ecosystems. Raising awareness for wetlands of the inhabitants and potential tourists, but also the local authorities on wetlands / peatlands in the North-West Region, involved certain minimum actions that do not have an invasive effect in the analyzed areas. This includes, for each site: the placement of a billboard for public information, creation of digital brochure associated with peatland ecosystem, interviews with the local community, questionnaires developed for identifying the public perception of peatland ecosystems.

A5. Carrying out information and publicity activities. This activity involves the creation of information and publicity materials and their dissemination on the project’s media channels, and not only, to raise awareness of the target group on the conservation of peatland ecosystems. The activity was carried out throughout the implementation period of the project, by:

• Publication of a children’s story book (https://nwpeat.granturi.ubbcluj.ro/en/publication-of-childrens-storybook/);
• Publication of a guide (https://nwpeat.granturi.ubbcluj.ro/en/publication-of-restoration-guide/);
• Publication of the scientific results associated with ecological dams (in the volume of the international conference “Air and Water – Components of the Environment”; https://nwpeat.granturi.ubbcluj.ro/en/scientific-results-associated-with-ecological-dams/);
• Presentation given at an international conference about the importance of wetlands and peatlands in the academia;
• Exchange visit to the Norwegian partner - the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (https://nwpeat.granturi.ubbcluj.ro/en/exchange-of-best-practices-in-norway/);
• Celebrating the World Wetlands Day with a photo-documentary exhibition (https://nwpeat.granturi.ubbcluj.ro/en/world-wetlands-day-celebrated-with-photo-documentary-exhibition/).

The NWPEAT project contributes, in the long term, to achieving the expected results of the RO-Environment Program through restored wetlands in the North-West Region, with an improved state of the ecosystems, local communities becoming more familiar with the benefits of peatland ecosystems, and a wider public much more familiar with peatlands plant species, a touristic valorization of wetlands by supporting the practice of sustainable tourism, a solid Romanian-Norwegian partnership.

The main expected results, obtained through the implementation of the NWPEAT project are:

•   The restoration and the improvement of the ecological status in ten wetlands / peatlands in the North-West Region,

•   The awareness of local authorities and communities involved on peatland ecosystems conservation,

•   Strengthening the partnership between Romania and Norway,

•   Improving geographic information tools for relevant stakeholders. The NWPEAT project outputs include “specific studies associated with the restoration schemes, monitoring plans for each wetland, a restoration guide, but also complex publicity materials, in digital and printed format, and particular events” (according to project manager).

The project activities led to the following achievements/results:

• 10 restored wetlands/peatlands from the NW Region of Romania;
• 1 biodiversity study;
• 10 Data sheets on the water regime and water quality of wetlands, on the conservation status of ecosystems,
• Installment of monitoring equipment (29 piezometers and 29 DIVER type devices);
• Completing 10 tourist development sheets, and a study for touristic possible development, to highlight the existing tourist offer in the vicinity of each wetland;
• Creating thematic trails for tourist visits of MM-016 - lezerul Mare (Tinovul Härnicestilor), CJ-044-La Poduri peatlands;
• 10 informative panels, installed in the field in each wetland/peatland site;
• 10 digital brochures presenting each wetland/peatland site (https://nwpeat.granturi.ubbcluj.ro/brosuri-digitale-asociate-ecosistemelor-de-turbarie/ );
• Creating a book of stories for children “Wandering through the peatlands” (https://nwpeat.granturi.ubbcluj.ro/en/publication-of-childrens-storybook/);
• Creating and installing of 69 tourist signs designed to improve the visibility of peatland ecosystems;
• An online database and a cartographic material associated with the GIS database;
• Carrying out information and publicity activities; within the framework of this activity, the following events were held: the project opening conference ( March 2022); the project closing conference (April 19, 2024); participation in an international conference and a participation in the ERASMUS program; participation in 3 national conferences; carrying out 3 workshops dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of peatland ecosystems; 4 appearances in the mass/media (radio/TV); exchange of good practices with Romanian and Norwegian experts; 2 photographic exhibitions.
• implementation of the Communication Plan and development of dissemination materials: bilingual project website (Romanian-English)( https://nwpeat.granturi.ubbcluj.ro/en/); a Guide to the restoration of wetlands and peatlands in the North-West Region (with a circulation of 300 copies); a storybook "Wandering through the peatlands" (with a circulation of 300 copies); 12 press articles (;https://news.ubbcluj.ro/ziua-mondiala-a-zonelor-umede-celebrata-la-ubb/), 3 scientific articles published and 2 articles submitted for review; generation of research topics (in the form of bachelor''s theses) associated with peat ecosystems among students of the Faculty of Geography,- UBB; an advertising board; a permanent plaque.

The direct beneficiaries of project results are:

• Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests;
• National Agency for Natural Protected Areas;
• Landowners: compounds, individuals, administrative-territorial units;
• Inhabitants (13,277 people benefit from the restoration of NW PEAT project wetlands/peatlands);
• Environmental Protection Agencies.

Educational institutions: schools, universities, professional research organizations.

Summary of bilateral results

During the implementation of the project, permanent communication was ensured with the international partner (P1), the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research - NINA, associated with the implementation of the project activities, by materializing the following actions: -The participation of representatives of the Norwegian partner in the opening and closing conferences of the NWPEAT project; -joint field visits to the sites in the North-West Region and contributions of the Norwegian partners to the studies, complemented by their participation in restoration work monitoring campaigns (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tNTq2dTakag; https://www.youtube.com/shorts/obszsZT8F9c); -creation of a green course for professionals carrying out restoration activities; this course is broadcast on the partnership''s media channels:-carrying out of an exchange of good practices of the team members from UBB at the NINA headquarters regarding the transfer of know-how, restoration approach techniques, and ways of further cooperation; -joint Romanian-Norwegian coordination, in the form of publishing the contributions made by the two teams’ members in a book, respectively, a Guide to the restoration of wetlands and peatlands in the North-West Region (https://nwpeat.granturi.ubbcluj.ro/en/publication-of-restoration-guide/); -creating a video spot with the project results, with interviews from the two project teams (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IXodL5vdDE).