General
National Id
Lithuania 01
Site name
Ž’uvintas and Amalvas mires
Summary
The WETLIFE project aimed at reversal of negative changes in Amalva and Žuvintas mires. Restoration of hydrological conditions necessary for regeneration of mire habitats was the main key to reaching the aim. Additionally, the project had a goal to facilitate a shift in agricultural practices on peatlands in order to improve conditions for biodiversity and reduce rate of peat mineralization with all related environmental consequences. Finally, the project expected to raise awareness about wetlands and to serve as an example of successful wetland restoration and more sustainable use that could be replicated in other parts of the country.
The in-depth description of the case study
NUTS Code
Lietuva
RBD code
LT1100
Transboundary
0
Data provider
JustÄ— BuzelytÄ—, BEF
NWRM(s) implemented in the case study
Longitude
23.58
Latitude
54.466
Site information
Climate zone
cool temperate moist
Type
Case Study Info
Light or indepth?
In-depth
Monitoring maintenance
Monitoring impacts effects
1
Monitoring location
Unknown
Administrative annual costs
3298272
Monitoring parameters
Biodiversity monitoring, Ž’uvintas and Amalvas lakes' hydrological monitoring
Performance
Performance impact estimation method
Edge of Field/Plot
Design & implementations
Application scale
Field Scale
Installation date
2012-04
Age
2
Performance timescale
1 - 4 years
Area (ha)
1100
Management change from
From arable land
Management change to
to swamp
Design contractual arrangement
| Arrangement type | Responsibility | Role | Comments | Name | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Contractual agreement
|
Amalvas polder reconstruction and Amalvas wetland view platform construction
|
E.NaceviÄius' company "Edmeta"
|
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|
Contractual agreement
|
Amalvas wetland drainage blocking project, Amalvas wetland water level re-naturalization activity
|
Hydrologist-engineer
|
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|
Contractual agreement
|
Purchase of 25 ha land
|
JSC "Agrogeodezija"
|
|||
|
Contractual agreement
|
Restoration of the drained southern part of the Amalvas wetland
|
JSC "Alytaus melioracija"
|
|||
|
Contractual agreement
|
Reconstruction of Amalvas polder
|
JSC "Sumeda", etc.
|
Design consultation activity
| Activity stage | Key issues | Name | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Implementation phase
|
For project partners
|
General project seminars
|
||
|
Design phase
|
A number of purchase negotiation meeting s with farmers, guideliness for sustainable peat grassland maangement presented to local farmers.
|
Information campaign on farming practices
|
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|
Name of policy/strategy 3
|
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|
Name of policy/strategy 4
|
||||
|
Name of policy/strategy 5
|
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|
Name of policy/strategy 6
|
Design land use change
| Land use change type |
|---|
Design authority
| Authority type | Role | Responsibility | Name | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lessons, risks, implications...
Key lessons
Mire†™s dryness decreased, ground water level stabilized.
Amalvas sustainable polder water pumping mode installed to ensure migratory birds population increase. Restore the natural water level fluctuations in Lake Ž’uvintas should lead to water vegetation recovery, some fish and amphibian species spawning areas expand, and stop the spread reeds and thickets. Restoring of natural water level fluctuations in Ž’uvintas and Amalvas has enabled these lakes to more easily purify its waters. Reconstruction and Ž’uvintas Amalvas locks-regulator installation passes, allowing fish to migrate.
Policy implications:
The project made an important push in promoting agi-environmental measures in the area. There is a common understanding achieved among decision makers regarding further land use on drained peatlands. However despite of significantly increased local awareness of environmental hazards related to unsustainable management of organic peat soils, there is a great need for national and European policies regarding this issue. Abandonment of subsidies for damaging farming on organic soils would prove to be extremely beneficial for biodiversity conservation and minimizing other negative environmental consequences.
Amalvas sustainable polder water pumping mode installed to ensure migratory birds population increase. Restore the natural water level fluctuations in Lake Ž’uvintas should lead to water vegetation recovery, some fish and amphibian species spawning areas expand, and stop the spread reeds and thickets. Restoring of natural water level fluctuations in Ž’uvintas and Amalvas has enabled these lakes to more easily purify its waters. Reconstruction and Ž’uvintas Amalvas locks-regulator installation passes, allowing fish to migrate.
Policy implications:
The project made an important push in promoting agi-environmental measures in the area. There is a common understanding achieved among decision makers regarding further land use on drained peatlands. However despite of significantly increased local awareness of environmental hazards related to unsustainable management of organic peat soils, there is a great need for national and European policies regarding this issue. Abandonment of subsidies for damaging farming on organic soils would prove to be extremely beneficial for biodiversity conservation and minimizing other negative environmental consequences.
Financing difficulties
1
Financing difficulties information
Some project actions were carried out with a substantial delay (1,5 year). That was firstly due to economic crisis that led to reduction of the staff and working hours (due to budget restrictions staff has to take unpaid days-off), therefore personnel responsible for implementation of the projects became overloaded with work.
Success factor(s)
| Success factor type | Success factor role | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Successful coordination between authorities
|
main factor
|
Ex., the key stakeholders were the project partners and other important parties, like farmers, were well integrated into activities. |
|
|
Existing institutional framework
|
main factor
|
Financing
| Financing type | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
|
EU-funds: LIFE+
|
Total budget used: 1240401,26 EU
|
Driver
| Driver type | Driver role | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Legal obligations
|
main driver
|
To ensure conservation status of the
|
|
|
Organisation committed to it
|
main driver
|
Nature Heritage Fund is a leading organisation in country to protect and maintain species of the comunity's interest (SCI)
|
|
|
Availability of subsidies
|
secondary driver
|
LIFE Nature programme is supporting the biodiversity restoration projects
|
Financing share
| Financing share type | Share | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|
Policy, general governance and design targets
Policy description
During second half of the 20th century Lithuania lost more than two-thirds of former mire area which covered 10% of the country. This had
the effect of causing changes in the local and regional hydrological pattern, significant loss of wildlife and peat degradation, which in turn
resulted in various secondary negative effects: CO2 emissions (approximately 25% of currently reported anthropogenic CO2 emissions, which does not take into account emissions from peatlands), water pollution due to peat mineralization products and peat subsidence. The regulation of lakes, along with increased loads of nutrients caused a rapid deterioration of water quality, siltation, and overgrowth of the lakes or even the collapse of submerged vegetation. This further led to decreased water purification capacities, as well as
secondary pollution from sediments negatively affecting water bodies down the stream and, finally, the Baltic Sea †“ arguably the most polluted sea in the world.
the effect of causing changes in the local and regional hydrological pattern, significant loss of wildlife and peat degradation, which in turn
resulted in various secondary negative effects: CO2 emissions (approximately 25% of currently reported anthropogenic CO2 emissions, which does not take into account emissions from peatlands), water pollution due to peat mineralization products and peat subsidence. The regulation of lakes, along with increased loads of nutrients caused a rapid deterioration of water quality, siltation, and overgrowth of the lakes or even the collapse of submerged vegetation. This further led to decreased water purification capacities, as well as
secondary pollution from sediments negatively affecting water bodies down the stream and, finally, the Baltic Sea †“ arguably the most polluted sea in the world.
Policy target
| Target purpose | |
|---|---|
|
Improved Biodiversity
|
|
|
Runoff control
|
|
|
Pollutants Removal
|
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Regional
|
Water
|
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|
Regional
|
Environment & Biodiversity
|
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|
Regional
|
Climate adaptation
|
|||
|
Local
|
Agriculture
|
Policy requirement directive
| Requirement directive | Specification |
|---|
Socio-economic
Costs investment
40863324
Costs investment information
Infrastructure, equipment and purchase of land (finale report data, page 31)
Costs land acquisition
30945,5390625
Costs land acquisition unit
€ (total value)
Costs land acquisition information
(finale report data, page 31)
Costs operation maintenance
110419016
Costs operation maintenance
(finale report data, page 31), total amount minus investment costs devided by 3 (3 years project)
Costs total
1240401,25
Costs total information
(finale report data, page 31)
