PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The 3,300 hectare Federsee site is the largest mire in southwest Germany. Starting as an Ice Age glacier lake, it subsequently developed under the influence of climate change and natural succession processes. The Federsee currently exhibits all the stadia of the mire cycle, from an open, eutrophic relict lake in the centre, through extensive fen complexes with calcareous marshes and bog woodland, to raised bog. The reedbeds around the lake host an extremely rich avifauna with 105 regularly breeding species, including corncrake, marsh harrier and bluethroat. The main problems besetting this internationally famed natural gem in the early 1990s were falling water levels in the lake, agricultural intensification and drainage activities nearby and abandonment of the traditional 'Streuwiesen' exploitation (i.e. mowing of very humid litter meadows dominated by sedges, to produce straw for use in stables). Building on numerous past protection efforts undertaken in the core zone, the LIFE project set itself the task of restoring the outer parts of the site.
OBJECTIVES
After a management plan for the entire Federsee basin and a hydrological study would have been produced, the LIFE project would raise water levels in areas now in agricultural use, in order to regenerate humid and wet meadows on fen substrates and to reduce, or even completely halt, the oxidation of the peat. In order to obtain a coherent block of land on which to carry out these measures, about 60 hectares of land were to be bought and, using a rural land ownership consolidation procedure, swapped against sections inside the site wherever necessary. A run-down dam across the watercourse draining out of the Federsee basin would be rebuilt and drainage ditches would be closed, moved or have their water levels raised. Recurring management measures to keep landscapes open for the benefit of corncrakes, snipes, cranes and many other birds were to be launched with LIFE funds and continued after the end of the project by the conservation authorities. A more ecologically sensitive maintenance of drainage ditches by the competent bodies would be promoted. The project also had a socio-economic slant. The site attracted 150,000 visitors a year and an awareness campaign would point out to the local community that restoration of the natural heritage should impact positively on this tourism. To try and avoid recurring management becoming a permanent financial burden, the beneficiary would collaborate with a LEADER programme to see if extensive land use can become economically viable.
RESULTS
The project successfully completed the foreseen actions on site. - the management plan was elaborated for the whole site, including a hydrological study to identify the right place for the new dam crossing the Kanzach watercourse (replacing an old dam wich was falling apart, and rehumidifying 55 ha). - Groundwater levels were raised over a total area of 252 ha west and south of the central lake. This was achieved by the new Kanzach dam and several smaller constructions, like total or partial closure of ditches, weirs, subaquatic thresholds and other water-retaining measures. The water levels can be controlled by adjustable weirs or overflow pipes to allow for higher water levels in spring and lower levels at harvest time. - a study was made about the ecological and agronomic benefits and uses of hay mown from the litter meadows. Some options for new uses were proposed, but these turned out to be technically or financially not feasible. - The measures to raise water levels impacted on private land - owners and tenants - so a land consolidation scheme was used to buy land and where necessary provide farmers with swap land outside the project area. To avoid unwanted effects on neighbouring land, the beneficiary used a waterproof loam-clay-sand-mixture (bentonite) on a thin fabric, which was then dug vertically in the ground to a depth of 1.6 m. - The rehumidified land was leased out to farmers, or contractors specialised in the ecological maintenance of litter and sedge meadows. A total 181 ha would be managed according to a 1-4 year rhythm in order to create a mosaic of different vegetation structures and ages. Uneconomic sections would be maintained by the partner NABU, an nature conservation NGO. Some equippment was bought to do the job of recurring and non- recurring management like tree and bush removal, mowing of reeds and sedges. In some sections Deschampsia vegetation proliferated, due to a disproportionate nitrogen level. Consequently the beneficiary had to ask farmers to fertilise with potassium and phosphorus and do biannual mowing, to balance the nutrient level in favour of a more Molinia-dominated vegetation. - the maintenance of draining ditches was transformed to a more ecologically sensitive manner, complementing the hyrdological efforts made on the adjoining project area sections. - the project hired a public relations officer, who proved very successful: several hundred press articles and many radio and TV broadcasts publicised the project measures, benefits and the nature values of the site. - the beneficiary and partner also promoted eco-tourism and organised a string of guided tours to the project site. - they developed a close cooperation with the competent authorities for cultural and historic heritage, who provided funds for additional land purchase, as the raised water levels meant that prehistoric remains buried in the peat soil were better preserved. The cooperation with archaeologists on-site led to the project participating in a heritage preservation exhibition in the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France, in winter 1999. - there was a good cooperation with a LEADER programme in the district The project was active in networking with other LIFE projects, visiting projects to learn from them - an example was the technique of building dams and weirs adapted from project LIFE98NAT/D/5085 Ochsenmoor am Dümmer. Through all these measures and a policy of dialogue, the LIFE project managed to build up partnerships with farmers and other local stakeholders.