Along the Dutch-German border lie unique raised bogs that are of great ecological value: the Witte Veen–Witte Venn, the Haaksbergerveen–Ammeloer Venn, the Leemputten–Zwillbrocker Venn and the Wooldse Veen–Burlo-Vardingholter Venn/Entenschlatt. These border fens form a coherent landscape and ecological system that transcends national borders. They are home to rare animal species, provide important ecosystem services such as water storage and carbon storage, and are of great importance for nature conservation.
However, the quality and resilience of these fens are under pressure. Desiccation, nitrogen pollution, fragmentation of land use, restoration and management, and insufficient coordination across the border are hindering their sustainable survival. Although restoration measures are being taken on both sides of the border, there is often a lack of structural cooperation, knowledge sharing and joint planning.
With this Interreg project, Dutch and German authorities and land managers want to join forces for integrated peatland restoration. Through joint area analysis, the creation of preconditions for cross-border restoration measures, harmonisation of monitoring and strengthening of communication and cooperation, an important step is being taken towards resilient cross-border peatland landscapes.
