Academic CentreThe project includes 12 beneficiaries from 4 countries (Latvia, Finland, Denmark, Germany). The beneficiaries are from The Baltic Sea region which will enable international exchange of knowledge and expertise on peatland restoration to reduce GHG emissions.
Objectives:
- Overall coordination and reporting to the EC representatives, including the submission of all project documentation and deliverables.
- Coordination and communication of project tasks and workplan among WP Leaders and project staff.
- Cost and time management by maintaining the project budget and managing the allocation of human and financial resources and related accounting.
- Establishment of a communication mechanism through e-mail, phone, videoconferencing, web-based conferencing, online or face-to-face meetings.
- Organization of a kick-off and regular consortium meetings, prepare agendas, chair the meetings and elaborate minutes.
Expected results:
- Established project framework and management structure, including the formation of a project team and hybrid (face to face and online) kick-off meeting organized in Riga, Latvia.
- Project tasks coordinated among the project beneficiaries in Latvia and in Finland, Germany, and Denmark.
- Project partnership agreement prepared for the implementation of the project tasks in Latvia, Finland, Germany, and Denmark.
- Established Project Steering Group and Scientific Group and regular meetings organized both online and face-to-face.
- Successful project management according to the Time Schedule.
- Project financial resources coordinated and managed, including time and monetary costs by maintaining the project budget and managing the allocation of human and financial resources and related accounting.
- Technical and financial reports prepared and submitted to the EC according to the time schedule.
- Publishing of the Layman’s Report and project web page.
Objectives:
- Preparation of the Peatland Restoration plans (PRP) and technical documentation for peatland restoration in the project sites.
Expected results:
- During the studies, baseline data will be obtained for the monitoring of the effectiveness of the restoration measures.
- Peatland Restoration Plans prepared for Cena Mire and Lielais Pelečāre Mire (in Latvia) and Välisuo Mire and Matorova Mire (Finland).
- During the project implementation from 2022 to 2027, the reduced amount of CO2 emissions in the project sites including degraded peatlands will reach 37117 tonnes CO2 eq. yr⁻¹ in Latvia and 3500 tonnes CO2 eq. yr⁻¹ in Finland.
- Peatland Climate Change Mitigation (CCM) measures will be carried out in Latvia and Finland followed by the reduction of peatland degradation. The area where positive effect from management actions will be reached comprises 5076 ha in Latvia (Lielais Pelečāre Mire - 4946 ha, Cena Mire – 130 ha) 338 ha Finland (Välisuo Mire 114 ha, Matorova 224), and a total of 5414 ha in the project.
Objectives:
- Monitoring of peatland vegetation, microbiome, hydrology and GHG emissions to follow the changes before and after the management actions.
- Development of commonly applicable remote sensing-based algorithms and data products of peatlands in the Baltic Sea region for more advanced, comparable, and precise evaluation of national GHG emission balance and modeling in the countries, that will be compulsory for the reporting period starting from 2026.
- Calibration and application of an ecosystem model for the evaluation of climatic impacts/GHG measurements.
Expected results:
- Tool for GHG emission assessment based on airborne remote sensing data collected over peatlands.
- Proposals for GHG emission evaluation of peatlands submitted to national GHG inventories in Latvia and Finland.
- Assessment of the effect of project restoration actions on GHG levels and possible future benefits on site and project country level.
- Verified data on GHG fluxes and the effect of implemented CCM measures in project sites.
Objectives:
- To assess whether project objectives are met as well as minimize different risks.
- To perform expert assessment of ecosystem services (ES).
- To monitor ES before and after implementation of the project to identify and estimate their environmental and economic impacts on ES.
- To monitor the socio-economic impacts of Project Actions for assessment of the success of project implementation.
- To assess the socio-economic effects of application of project outcomes in policy planning.
- To provide timely identification of the risks related to separate actions or the project in general.
Expected results:
- Information for planning of feasible peatland restoration measures.
- Assessment of risks on biodiversity and human health.
- Cost estimations for economic losses and benefits in respect to peatland restoration measures.
- Quantitative information on the impacts of peatland restoration on nature and the environment.
- A documented model system for further use in other areas in Latvia and Finland and elsewhere in Europe.
- Information of assessed socio-economic impacts of implemented measures in the project sites.
Objectives:
- Networking with GHG and climate change researchers within peatlands – study tours, experience exchange meetings, sharing of project results at seminars, meetings, and international conferences.
- Organization of national and international events.
- Creation of a transportable photo exhibition and photo album as a supplement to the exhibition.
- Dissemination of project information available on the web page of the coordinating beneficiary and under participants’ webpages.
Expected results:
- General information about the project placed under the web page of the coordinating beneficiary and project beneficiaries.
- Two national events in Latvia (opening of photo exhibition, presentation of the Peatland Book) to present and review project implementation action results and deliverables. Two events organized in Germany to promote peatland knowledge, the project, its outputs and lessons.
- Project Final International Conference organized in Latvia
- Transportable photo exhibition showing the role of peatlands in CCM and the published photo album.
- Project results presented at national and international seminars, conferences, experience exchange trips by project beneficiaries – LU, FMI, LUKE, UOULU, IES, NABU, SILAVA.
Objectives:
- To enable knowledge transfer to ecological restoration practitioners on new methods and techniques for climate actions on drained peatlands.
- To enable replication of the project methodology on peatland restoration success and GHG emission evaluation to the Baltic Sea region.
- To contribute to international standards and assessment tools for verification of carbon sequestration within the peatland restoration projects.
- To contribute to the National GHG inventories on rewetted peatlands in Latvia and Finland with an outlook to upscale the recommendations to other Baltic Sea region countries.
- To provide the decision-makers in Baltic Sea region with a tool for inventory and prioritization of drained peatland sites based on their GHG emission reduction potential.
Expected results:
- Demonstration workshop on new restoration methods and techniques for climate actions on drained peatlands organized for practitioners from Baltic Sea region countries.
- Training on application and use of algorithm-based RS Tool and modeling in GHG assessments and inventories given to professionals from Baltic Sea region countries.
- Adopted and updated Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) methodology for the estimation of GHG emissions from drained and rewetted peatlands in the Baltic Sea region.
- Updated National Reporting system on GHG emissions from rewetted peatlands
- Adopted and updated Decision-Support System (DSS) for CCM measures on drained peatlands for Baltic Sea region.