Strategic framework for setting priorities for restoring degraded ecosystems in Germany

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1 Strategic framework for setting priorities for restoring degraded ecosystems in Germany (EU Biodiversity Strategy, Target 2, Action 6a) Background In the 15 th Aichi Target for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity the 10 th meeting of the Conference Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity laid down the following: "By 2020, ecosystem resilience and the contribution of biodiversity to carbon stocks has been enhanced, through conservation and restoration, including restoration of at least 15 per cent of degraded ecosystems, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation and to combating desertification. The EU strategy, "Our life insurance, our natural capital: an EU biodiversity strategy to 2020" (EUBVS; COM (2011) 244 final) aims to halt the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services and restore them in so far as feasible. To this end, ecosystems and their services must be maintained and enhanced by One element will be the restoration of 15% of degraded ecosystems, in line with the international commitments referred to above. Target 2: "By 2020, ecosystems and their services are maintained and enhanced by establishing green infrastructure and restoring at least 15% of degraded ecosystems." To implement this target the member states are asked to develop a strategy and set priorities by 2014: Action 6a: "By 2014, Member States, with the assistance of the Commission, will develop a strategic framework to set priorities for ecosystem restoration at sub-national, national and EU level." At EU level a Working Group on Restoration Prioritization Framework was established to support the work of the member states in implementing Action 6a. The working group discussed a broad approach aimed at enhancing the status of all ecosystem types in order to realise the restoration target. The approach applies the restoration target to the entire 1

2 landscape and includes the marine area. The Corine Land Cover classes were proposed as a basis for categorising ecosystems, and four quality levels were defined for the relevant ecosystem types. Moving up from one quality level to the next will be counted towards the achievement of the restoration target. Strategic framework for national implementation In Germany there are diverse instruments at all levels of government for the conservation of biological diversity, regulating both protected areas and the landscape in general. Key instruments include spatial planning measures, the designation of protected areas, compensation for interventions and funding measures. Germany's National Strategy on Biological Diversity (NBS) provides a scientifically sound and broadly coordinated plan for the conservation of biodiversity. The strategy comprises guidelines, quality targets, action objectives and action areas for all fields of activity. Generally, 2020 is the target year for achieving the measures. The aim is to mobilise all government and non-government players and combine their activities to halt the decline of biodiversity in Germany. The NBS also includes targets and measures for the restoration of degraded ecosystems. The Länder and federal ministries support and supplement the NBS with their own biodiversity strategies, sector-based strategies and programmes of action. The range of instruments for conserving biodiversity and the broad implementation process of the NBS aim to improve the quality of all ecosystem types. This is also the goal of the relevant European directives. For this reason Germany will focus on implementing the NBS and transposing the European directives and not pursue any additional process for general ecosystem improvement. Monitoring activities, particular under Natura 2000, the Water Framework Directive, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation and the National Biodiversity Strategy, regularly record trends in biodiversity. The work underway at European level on Action 5 of the EU Biodiversity Strategy (improving knowledge of ecosystems and their services in the EU) also helps to document changes in the landscape as a whole. 2

3 Setting priorities Germany's implementation of Target 2 Action 6a of the EU Biodiversity Strategyconcentrates on measures to improve the peatland and floodplain ecosystems. In setting priorities for its implementation of Target 2 Action 6a of the EU Biodiversity Strategy, Germany has focused on ecosystems suffering severe deterioration. In this context, like Target 2 of the EU Biodiversity Strategy, Germany has taken Target 15 of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as a basis. As in the CBD target, the intention is to fully exploit the synergy effects between biodiversity conservation, climate action and adaptation to climate change. Thus, in agreement between the Federation and the Länder, Germany's work towards meeting the EU restoration target focuses on the peatland and floodplain ecosystems. This approach is supported by the findings of the study "Natural Capital and Climate Policy Synergies and Conflicts", which was presented in February 2014 as part of the TEEB initiative "Natural Capital Germany TEEB DE". Today the draining of bogs and fens and the resulting decomposition of peat mean that 95% of Germany's peatland are significant emitters of climate gases and nutrients harmful to water bodies. The status report on German floodplains (Auenzustandsbericht) found that 36% of the floodplains had been moderately modified, while 54% were rated as severely or totally modified and thus no longer able to fulfil their function as retention areas for flood water to any satisfactory degree. According to the National Report 2013, compiled in compliance with Article 17 of the Habitats Directive (reporting period ), all Germany's floodplain habitats and a large proportion of Germany's bogs and fens have an unfavourable -bad conservation status. Restoration of regenerative bogs and fens Bog and fen ecosystems are extraordinarily important for biodiversity, the hydrological balance, water quality and the climate. Bogs and fens are habitats for many rare and endangered species which are especially adapted to the conditions there (e.g. cotton grass, orchids, sundew, sphagnum). This means that intact bog and fen habitats are crucial for the conservation of biological diversity. Moreover, bogs and fens retain water in the landscape, have a positive influence on the micro climate and are important carbon sinks. Scientific studies highlight that revitalising bogs, extensifying their use and rewetting up to a nearnatural water level can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 35 million tonnes of CO 2 equivalent each year. 3

4 Most bogs and fens in Germany, especially those of the North German Plain, were systematically drained during the 19 th and 20 th centuries. To date, draining for peat extraction, agriculture and forestry has caused degradation in over 95% of Germany's bogs, leading to peat loss, subsidence, climate-damaging gas emissions, loss of function as reservoirs for nutrients and even their complete destruction. Only around 5% of peatland in Germany are in a near-natural or renatured status. Consequently, many species and habitat types which are typical for bogs and fens and specialised for the conditions found there fall at least under the category endangered on the Red Lists for Germany's species and biotope types. Typical bog habitat types and some of their main species are significant for the whole of Europe and listed in Annexes I and II of the Habitats Directive, some even as priority species and habitat types. According to Germany's 2013 National Report pursuant to the Habitats Directive, with the exception of Alpine bogs and fens the conservation status of the bog and fen habitats listed in the directive is inadequate or in many cases even bad. This highlights the urgent need to step up efforts to conserve and restore intact bogs and fens with their characteristic habitats and species. The restoration of a near-natural water table close to the surface is an integral part of bog revitalisation. This also has a positive impact on the climate and other ecosystem services. In the interests of climate action and the restoration of other ecosystem services, therefore, where it is not possible to revitalise or cease using the bog, efforts should at least be made to restore the water table to its near-natural level close to the surface, to extensify use and establish sound wet management practices for the bog. German Länder with many raised bogs worth renaturing and large, non-intensively used mires and fens -Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and Lower Saxony either already have bog protection plans or have begun to consider relevant options. Schleswig-Holstein, with a more limited bog potential in terms of both quality and quantity, has been pursuing its own bog conservation scheme for over six years. In North Rhine-Westphalia the Biodiversity Strategy contains concrete ideas for renaturing bogs. The implementation of all these strategies and programmes generally calls for comprehensive measures which affect the management already in place. This is also a reason why the targets for fens in the National Strategy on Biological Diversity have not yet been reached (e.g. "In regenerable lowland moors the depletion of peat has been significantly reduced"; "by 2020 significant portions of the lowland moors which are currently subject to intensive use [2007] have been extensified and confined to grassland use. Typical biotic communities are able to develop once again"; "natural development on 10% of the lowland moors that are currently [2007] extensively used by 2010, and on a further 10% by 2020"). 4

5 The Federation supports the Länder in the regeneration of bogs and fens, for instance through "chance.natur", a federal nature conservation assistance programme. Currently, 7 of the 32 ongoing large-scale nature conservation projects funded under this programme focus on bog or fen habitats. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Brandenburg set up the project "MoorFutures" and have since been joined in this by Schleswig-Holstein. The project targets companies which want to compensate for or optimise their greenhouse gas emissions. Through a voluntary carbon market companies can acquire shares for rewetting measures in these Länder. The duration of this long-term investment is at least 30 years. Bavaria is pursuing similar goals by monetarising carbon storage in bogs or fens in the project "Moorbenefits". Concrete goals, measures and suitable instruments for bog and fen conservation and climate action have been drawn up in a position paper by the nature conservation agencies of bogand fen-rich Länder: "Eine Vision für Moore in Deutschland Potenziale und Ziele zum Moorund Klimaschutz" (2012) (A vision for peatland in Germany potential and goals for bog and fen conservation and climate protection). The paper was presented at the Environment Ministers Conference and has the backing of the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), and the Federal Government/Länder Working Group on Nature Conservation, Landscape Management and Recreation (LANA) and the Federal Government/Länder Working Group on Soil Conservation (LABO). Restoration of floodplains The natural diversity and dynamics of floodplains make them biodiversity hotspots. Floodplains provide habitat for many rare species which have adapted to the specialised conditions (especially the flooding and water supply dynamic). Alluvial forests, for instance, are endangered throughout Europe. The connective nature of floodplains makes them particularly important as transboundary axes for the ecological network and for Natura 2000, the Europe-wide network of protected areas. Floodplains are natural retention areas for flood control and hence indispensable for adaptation to climate change. Floodplains can play a significant role in flood retention, particularly in light of the anticipated increase in small and medium flood events. They also provide other ecosystem services, acting as filters, supplying drinking water and improving the water quality of our rivers by retaining nutrients. Floodplains help combat climate change too, because like bogs, their soils and vegetation store more carbon dioxide than most other ecosystems. The multiple social benefits of floodplains, however, are only possible in the long-term if their functionality is consistently maintained or restored. Extensive interventions in the structure of Germany's rivers and streams were undertaken in the past. Watercourses were shortened and their banks reinforced, floodplains were put to agricultural use. The range of uses means that the biodiversity conservation in water bodies 5

6 and floodplains is in competition with other uses. For instance, water bodies are used as waterways, floodplains for intensive agriculture and forestry, or for settlement. This has serious adverse effects on the biocoenosis of floodplains and on the natural balance, and often impacts negatively on transregional flood control and leads to the loss of other ecosystem services. According to the 2009 status report on German floodplains only around 30% of the original floodplains of the country's major rivers remain. Of these, about 10% are nearly natural or slightly modified, while 54% of floodplains are classified as severely or totally modified. In addition, of the extant floodplains more than one third are used intensively as arable (28%) or urban (6%) areas. Furthermore, 51% of existing floodplains in Germany are Natura 2000 sites, 20% are nature conservation areas. Many habitat types and species listed in the Habitats Directive are closely connected to near-natural rivers and floodplains and are classed in both Germany and Europe as endangered or at risk of extinction. In total, more than 75% of all floodplains and water body biotopes are endangered, with conditions continuing to deteriorate in 44% of water body and floodplain biotopes. Generally appropriate measures for developing near-natural water bodies and floodplains include dismantling bank reinforcements, reconnecting backwaters, flood braids and floodplains, relocating dikes, restoring typical habitats such as alluvial forests, water bodies, wetlands and pioneer sites, supporting non-intensive, site-appropriate uses, securing land, restoring ecological passability and enhancing runoff dynamics and reducing backflow impacts. In its National Strategy on Biological Diversity, the German government set the following goals: By 2020, watercourses and their floodplains will be protected in their role as habitats, guaranteeing the typical diversity of the natural area of Germany. By 2020 the majority of watercourses will again have more natural flood plains. By 2020, the retention areas of rivers will be enlarged by at least 10%. New initiatives are being planned to fulfil these goals: At the end of October 2014 the conference of German environment ministers (Federation and Länder) adopted the National Flood Protection Programme. Reclaiming floodplains through dike relocation is a key element of this programme. In addition, in the current legislative period the government will establish a "Bundesprogramm Blaues Band", a national initiative aimed at renaturing federal waterways and their floodplains. Federal waterways that are no longer used for goods transport have great development potential because in parts they have 6

7 remained near-natural, the predominant use is as grassland and in some places they have kept extensive floodplains. Structures and facilities intended for water traffic can be dismantled. The Federal Environment Ministry also has funding programmes (chance.natur, Federal Biodiversity Programme) which help support the development of floodplains. The Länder have their own financing programmes for the near-natural development of floodplains. In 2009 the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation presented a Status Report on German Floodplains. This is the first report to give an overview of floodplain loss and the status of floodplains throughout Germany. An update is planned for 2020 to provide quantitative data on the restoration target for floodplains. Bonn, 9 February