3.1.1 Protection of Mires
To implement measures in Europe, in many countries special institutions for nature
protection got additional competence by employing wetland experts. Thus, the
institutionalization of scientific results was much more profound and could be
adjusted to local situations. In federal states, e.g. Germany, these institutions work
on different spatial scales. The collaboration on these levels is often combined with
international cooperation, especially in wetland ecosystems which overlay borders,
as well in topics on international importance, like river systems, migrating birds or
others. One example for an international collaboration is the protection of a bog at
the Danish/German Border, the Froeslev-Jardelunder Bog (European Commission
2004).
Another important development is the establishment of buffer zones around
wetlands. These buffer zones are designed to keep fertilizers, use of pesticides on
agricultural land, fires and in case of protected animals also visitors out of the core
areas of mires and swamps. First inspired by the need to save drinking water
resources, buffer zones are now established around other wetlands as well. They
are meanwhile not only important for the protection of core wetlands, but play an
important role as habitats for other species in the transition zones, e.g. amphibians
and reptiles (Semlitsch and Bodie 2003).
3.1.2 Restoration of Mires
For the restoration of mires basic methods are used: Management of the hydrologic
system, utilisation of wetlands, and restoring of characteristic vegetation types
(Fig. 1).
Management of the Hydrologic System
Mires, bogs and fens are embedded in a larger hydrological system, including water
in- and out-flux, precipitation, water retention, evaporation and agricultural use.
Depending on the region, some of these factors are more important than others.
E.g. precipitation rates of mires in the boreal region are often smaller than in
temperate Northwestern and Western Europe. However, because of lower rates of
evapotranspiration they can exist there in large dimensions. In semi-arid regions
mires depend more on the groundwater system, e.g. in South Africa (Grundling
2014) or in the Mediterranean (Rapetti et al. 1986; Tomei 1982). In these regions, a
constant flux of water results in permanent wet top-soils also during dry seasons.
For example, in the case of Lago Massaciuccoli in Italy, north of the city of Pisa,
the evaporation is so high, that the air above the mire is much cooler than in the
surrounding with the effect that sensible species of the genus Sphagnum can survive
there. In South Africa, the large Mfabeni mire is maintained by mist from the
316
M. Lindner and C. Hobohm
To implement measures in Europe, in many countries special institutions for nature
protection got additional competence by employing wetland experts. Thus, the
institutionalization of scientific results was much more profound and could be
adjusted to local situations. In federal states, e.g. Germany, these institutions work
on different spatial scales. The collaboration on these levels is often combined with
international cooperation, especially in wetland ecosystems which overlay borders,
as well in topics on international importance, like river systems, migrating birds or
others. One example for an international collaboration is the protection of a bog at
the Danish/German Border, the Froeslev-Jardelunder Bog (European Commission
2004).
Another important development is the establishment of buffer zones around
wetlands. These buffer zones are designed to keep fertilizers, use of pesticides on
agricultural land, fires and in case of protected animals also visitors out of the core
areas of mires and swamps. First inspired by the need to save drinking water
resources, buffer zones are now established around other wetlands as well. They
are meanwhile not only important for the protection of core wetlands, but play an
important role as habitats for other species in the transition zones, e.g. amphibians
and reptiles (Semlitsch and Bodie 2003).
3.1.2 Restoration of Mires
For the restoration of mires basic methods are used: Management of the hydrologic
system, utilisation of wetlands, and restoring of characteristic vegetation types
(Fig. 1).
Management of the Hydrologic System
Mires, bogs and fens are embedded in a larger hydrological system, including water
in- and out-flux, precipitation, water retention, evaporation and agricultural use.
Depending on the region, some of these factors are more important than others.
E.g. precipitation rates of mires in the boreal region are often smaller than in
temperate Northwestern and Western Europe. However, because of lower rates of
evapotranspiration they can exist there in large dimensions. In semi-arid regions
mires depend more on the groundwater system, e.g. in South Africa (Grundling
2014) or in the Mediterranean (Rapetti et al. 1986; Tomei 1982). In these regions, a
constant flux of water results in permanent wet top-soils also during dry seasons.
For example, in the case of Lago Massaciuccoli in Italy, north of the city of Pisa,
the evaporation is so high, that the air above the mire is much cooler than in the
surrounding with the effect that sensible species of the genus Sphagnum can survive
there. In South Africa, the large Mfabeni mire is maintained by mist from the
316
M. Lindner and C. Hobohm