Restoration of Wetlands in the Western Lowland Area of the Dümmer Lake, Germany

General

National Id:

Germany_03

Site name:

Lake Dümmer

Summary:

This Project combined several natural water retention measures: the restoration of meadows and pastures (A1), reduced tillage (A7), a reduced stocking density (A12), and the restoration of wetlands (N2). The project area was located in north-west Germany within the river basin district Weser (DE4000). As funded under the LIFE Program, it was directed at European policy contexts, namely the WFD, Habitats Directive, and Birds Directive. A wide variety of stakeholders was involved in the implementation process, ranging from nature conservation agencies and NGO’s, as well as water managers to local farmers. The project achieved an increase of the population of meadow birds in the area, and was therefore successful. Furthermore, the constructive exchange of interests and opinions, leading to common benefits for different stakeholders has to be considered an additional success.

The in-depth description of the case study:

cs-de_03-duemmerlake_final_version.pdf

NUTS Code:

Hannover

RBD code:

DE4000

Transboundary:

Data provider:

Tamer Fawzy / BEF DE

Source(s):

Erfolgreiche Feuchtgrünlandentwicklung durch Naturschutzmaßnahmen. Langfristige Veränderung von Flora, Vegetation und Avifauna am Beispiel des Ochsenmoores in der Dümmerniederung.

NWRM(s) implemented in the case study:

Meadows and pastures

Low till agriculture

Reduced stocking density

Wetland restoration and management

Longitude:

8.3411022

Latitude:

52.5106507

Site information

Climate zone:

cool temperate moist

Mean annual rainfall:

0 - 300 mm

Mean rainfall unit:

mm/year

Average temperature:

Mean runoff unit:

450 - 600 mm

Type:

Actual Test Site

Light or indepth?:

In-depth

Mean annual runoff range:

150 - 300 mm

Monitoring maintenance

Monitoring impacts effects:

Monitoring parameters:

Biodiversity/ meadow bird breeding success

Performance

Performance impact estimation method:

Catchment outlet

Performance impact estimation information:

meadow bird breeding success monitoring

Biophysical impacts

Information on retained water:

N.A.

Information on increased water storage:

N.A.

Information on runoff reduction:

N.A.

Water quality overall improvements:

N/A info

Soil quality overall soil improvements:

N/A info

Lessons, risks, implications...

Key lessons:

Lessons learned in this project reach from practical and technical experience to the integration of stakeholders to achieve a high acceptance and participation of local farmers. The experience from this project also led to the initiation of the LIFE+ Project Meadow Birds, including water retention measures in 12 project areas.

Financing mechanism:

Financing mechanism information:

European funds (Life+), contractual anture conservation schemes

Success factor(s):

Type	Role	Comments
Financing possibilities	main factor	for land acquisition
Attitude of relevant stakeholders	secondary factor	acceptance of relevant stakeholders

Financing:

Type	Comments
EU-funds: LIFE+

Barrier:

Type	Role	Comments
Expected maintenance needs	main barrier	viability of extensive grassland mainenance is low

Driver:

Type	Role	Comments
Organisation committed to it	main driver	Bird protection / natura200 site

Socio-economic

Costs investment:

2000000

Costs investment information:

land acquisition

Costs land acquisition:

2000000

Costs land acquisition unit:

€ (total value)

Costs operation maintenance:

1100000

Costs operational:

800000

Costs operational information:

Supporting dams and removal of drainages

Costs maintenance:

300000

Costs total:

3100000

Ecosystem improved biodiversity:

Information on Ecosystem improved biodiversity:

improvements of the meadow bird communities

Ecosystem provisioning services:

Information on Ecosystem provisioning services:

extensified grassland maintainence

Ecosystem impact climate regulation:

No specific impact

Policy, general governance and design targets

Policy description:

Habitat restoration

Part of wider plan:

Policy pressure:

Policy requirement directive:

Policy impact:

Policy wider plan:

Wider plan type	Wider plan focus	Name	Comments
		Natura 2000

Policy area:

Policy target:

Target purpose
Improved Biodiversity

Design & implementations

Application scale:

Field Scale

Installation date:

2007-12

Lifespan:

Age:

Performance timescale:

Immediate

Area (ha):

2500

Area subject to Land use change or Management/Practice change (ha):

2500

Constraints:

N.A.

Favourable preconditions:

Before the project, over 2000 ha were already acquired for the Bird Sanctuary of Lake Dümmer. A well established, institutionalized Round Table served as a communication platform between Nature Conservationists and Farmers, so that acceptance was guaranteed throughout the process.

Design contractual arrangement:

Design consultation activity:

Design land use change:

Design authority:

Authority type	Role	Responsibility	Name	Comments
Other	Implementation		Heinrich Belting	Local state authority for nature conservation / bird conservancy

Last updated: 18 Jun 2015 | Top

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Restoration of Wetlands in the Western Lowland Area of the Dümmer Lake, Germany

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