General National Id Belgium_01 Site name Rehabilitation of heaths and mires on the Hautes-Fagnes Plateau Summary The project of rehabilitation of heaths and mires on the Hautes-Fagnes Plateau (Belgium). It consists in wetland restoration. Actions include restoring 1400 ha of peaty and wet habitats, abandoning spruce plantation for natural habitats on 630 ha and regenerating 400 ha of oak and birch forests. Light or indepth? In-depth The in-depth description of the case study cs-be-01-final_version.pdf NUTS Code Prov. Liège RBD code BEMeuse_RW Transboundary 0 Data provider Alexandra Rossi, ACTeon Source(s) Restauration des landes et tourbières du Plateau des Hautes Fagnes, Final report, covering the project activities from 01.01.2007 to 31.12.2012 Etude de l'impact socio-économique de la conservation et restauration de la nature dans les Hautes Fagnes NWRM(s) implemented in the case study Wetland restoration and management Longitude 6.0833333 Latitude 50.5 Site information Climate zone cool temperate moist Mean rainfall 1439 Mean rainfall unit mm/year Average temperature 6 Type Case Study Info Monitoring maintenance Monitoring impacts effects 1 Performance Performance impact estimation method Catchment outlet Design & implementations Application scale Field Scale Installation date 2007-01 Age 4 Performance timescale > 20 years Area (ha) 14000 Area subject to Land use change or Management/Practice change (ha) 500 Design capacity description The project was not designed for its water retention capacity. Although, about 8 km of drain were plugged and 23 ha of mires were submerged. We can evaluate the volume of water in mires and ponds between 120 000m3 and 360 000m3 depending on rain falls (the water retained in soil is not counted). Constraints For private and municipal areas, the adherence to the restoration project and to have their plot restored. The period to realize works was very short (July to October). The short period of works required many enterprises available at the same moment. Favourable preconditions Half of the area of the site project is a national nature reserve including Natura 2000 areas (some deteriorated). It was an element in favor of the implementation of the project. It led to ambitious objectives (wide area). There also were areas under national property (but not included in natural reserve) was also favorable. Indeed, Walloon administration was the head project and wanted to realize a deep restoration. Design contractual arrangement Arrangement type Responsibility Role Comments Name Design consultation activity Activity stage Key issues Name Comments Design land use change Land use change type Design authority Authority type Role Responsibility Name Comments Other Initiation of the measure Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment General Direction Other Other Natural Habitat and Agricultural Studies Department Partner of the project, data collecting about environment watching Other Other Nature and Forest Department Partner of the project, forestry, hunting, fishing and nature conservation Other Monitoring Hautes Fagnes-Eifel Natural Park management commission Stakeholder involved in the project Lessons, risks, implications... Key lessons Even if forestry activities were removed, there are still economic benefits linked to biodiversity and recreational use. Financing mechanism 1 Financing mechanism information A financial compensation was given to spruce plantation owners (who accepted to participation to the project) for the early cut down. A estimation of the value was realized based on Gembloux agronomic university data. The owner received the money got from the wood sail and an extra compensation (5k€ maximum per person). The average compensation was 2 080€. 177ha of private plantation and 113ha of public plantation were cut down and compensated. Success factor(s) Success factor type Success factor role Comments Specific incentives for stakeholder involvement main factor Attitude of relevant stakeholders secondary factor Existing technical standards secondary factor Successful coordination between authorities secondary factor Communication activities secondary factor Financing Financing type Comments EU-funds: LIFE+ Sub-national funds Barrier Barrier type Barrier role Comments Other main barrier For private and municipal areas, the adherence to the restoration project and to have their plot restored. Other main barrier The period to realize works was very short (July to October). The short period of works required many enterprises available at the same moment. Driver Driver type Driver role Comments Balancing different objectives main driver Heaths and mires are priority habitats types. They have an ecological interest at European level and they are rare and endangered at the Wallonian level. A regional plan to preserve heaths and mires has been implemented through LIFE projects (6 are completed and 2 are still running). Availability of subsidies secondary driver Financing share Financing share type Share Comments European funds 50 View National funds 50 View Policy, general governance and design targets Policy description Biodiversity and gene-pool conservation in riparian areas Self-regulation of water by filtration / storage / accumulation by ecosystems Part of wider plan 0 Policy target Target purpose Oher Societal Benefits Improved Biodiversity Policy pressure Pressure directive Relevant pressure Policy area Policy area type Policy area focus Name Comments Policy impact Impact directive Relevant impact Policy wider plan Wider plan type Wider plan focus Name Comments Policy requirement directive Requirement directive Specification Socio-economic Direct benefits 10000000 Direct benefits information The study of the socio-economic impact shows that the main impact is on biodiversity (assessed value 9,8M€/y) and recreational use (0,3M€/y). Costs investment 2950928 Costs investment information See below Costs capital 2614178 Costs capital information The main expense were destinated to works (wood cut down, grinding of the mires, scouring of the peatland, flooding, etc.) Costs land acquisition 336750 Costs land acquisition unit € (total value) Costs land acquisition information Aquisition of 137ha Costs operation maintenance 24243,5 Costs operation maintenance A conservation plan †œAfter life† was designed. It defines all the maintenance tasks (mowing and grazing, maintenance of hydraulic structures, etc). The Agriculture and natural environment department and the Nature and Forest Department, Walloon administration, the natural park of the hautes fagnes, the friends of the fagnes association, the Patrimoine Nature, enterprises, farmers, communes and private owner are involved in the maintenance. Costs total 4500300 Ecosystem improved biodiversity 1 Information on Ecosystem improved biodiversity Observations of biodiversity shows an increase of biodiversity in flora (Sphagnum, Carex, Eriophorum angustifolium, Juncus bulbosus) and fauna (black grouse, dragonflies, butterflies). The ecological connectivity was improved. Ecosystem provisioning services 0 Ecosystem impact climate regulation Impact on GHGs (net emissions and storage) including soil carbon Information on Ecosystem impact climate regulation The CO2 storage was estimated at 12 000 t/y. Ecosystem impact Green House Gas (GHG) soil carbon 12000 Biophysical impacts Information on increased water storage About 8 km of drain were plugged and 23 ha of mires were submerged. We can evaluate the volume of water in mires and ponds between 120 000m3 and 360 000m3 depending on rain falls (the water retained in soil is not counted). Water quality overall improvements N/A info Soil quality overall soil improvements N/A info Full Context Pathway(aka Context) Default view Area(aka Level or Site) ALL