New Restoration Project: Guodžiai Peatland

A new peatland restoration project has started at the Guodžiai Peatland in Biržai District, Lithuania. The project is implemented by the Peatland Foundation in Lithuania in cooperation with the Michael Succow Foundation, partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre, and is supported by Florian Rehm, member of the Mast family, through the Mast-Stiftungen.

The restoration covers approximately 100 hectares of a former peat extraction site. The land will be acquired specifically for restoration and protected from future peat extraction. 

The project aims to restore the peatland’s natural hydrological regime and create conditions for the recovery of the peatland ecosystem. Rewetting the degraded area is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from decomposing peat, support the recovery of peatland vegetation and habitats, and improve natural water retention. The measures are also intended to increase the area’s resilience to droughts, floods and wildfires. 

The first phase will include geological and hydrological assessments and the planning of restoration and conservation measures. This will be followed by hydrological restoration works, measures to support vegetation recovery, and monitoring of water levels and ecological changes. Local communities and other stakeholders will be involved throughout the process, alongside activities to increase public awareness of peatland restoration and its environmental benefits. 

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Overview over the Guodžiai-Peatland. Picture: Nerijus Zableckis Overview over the Guodžiai-Peatland. Picture: Nerijus Zableckis