LIFE Lille Vildmose

Restoration of raised bog in Lille Vildmose

Dekorativ

Project

Lille Vildmose is undoubtedly an outstanding natural environment. Here you find the largest active raised bog in the Northwest European lowlands. Furthermore, Lille Vildmose contains more than 50 % of the preserved area with raised bog in Denmark. However, decades of peat cutting and farming have left the central areas of the bog severely damaged.

To improve the situation in Lille Vildmose, the Aage V. Jensen Nature Foundation, the Municipality of Aalborg, and the Nature Agency Denmark have carried out an extensive restoration project in the raised bog. The project is supported by LIFE+ Nature, which is a financial instrument in the European Union. The project was launched in September 2011 and continued until the 30st of June 2020. 

Read about the project in the Layman's report (UK)

Read the project folder (UK)

Read about the project in Danish

A threatened habitat

Raised bogs are threatened habitats. After many years of reclamation, cultivation, and peat cutting, only a small percentage of the raised bogs in Denmark and the rest of Europe is preserved. Of the original 55 km2 of raised bog in Lille Vildmose, only 20 km2 of raised bog is preserved today.

Raised bog to be secured and restored

The objective of this LIFE+ project is to secure the preserved areas of raised bog habitat and also to create a basis for restoration of raised bog in some of the degraded areas.

Central areas in Lille Vildmose back on track

In the LIFE+ project, the central areas in Lille Vildmose have been in focus. In Danish, they are known as “Mellemområdet”. These areas have been subject to intensive reclamation projects with the objectives to create more farmland and to make use of the peat resources in the bog. An important objective of this LIFE+ project is to help the central areas in Lille Vildmose back on track. To do this, the project partners have created the basis needed for the area to regenerate as active raised bog over years.

Several interventions or so called “actions” have been carried out in this project in order to reach the project objectives. These include:

  • Restoration of Lake Birkesø as a shallow lake with a surface area of 130 ha.
  • Raising the water level on 770 ha.
  • Establishing a stock of red deer living in the central areas of Lille Vildmose.
  • Cutting down 200 ha. of tree growth in Portlandmosen and Paraplymosen
  • Reducing the numbers of racoon dog, American mink, and red fox.
  • Erecting 2 new observation platforms and 8 new areas with information boards.

Contribution from EU LIFE+ Nature

More than 7.2 million Euros have been invested to secure the raised bog in Lille Vildmose in the future. Together, the three partners have contributed with 3.1 mio. Euros. The remaining 4.1 of the budget is the contribution from the European Union’s financial instrument LIFE+ Nature. This large contribution from the European Union indicates that raised bog is a highly prioritized habitat type in the EU.

Monitoring of results

As part of the LIFE+ project, the development in the area will be closely monitored. This allows the partners to follow the results from the project. Several different indicators are monitored. These include vegetation patterns, tree growth, water levels, bird populations, and the effect of grazing red deer.

The Danish Ornithological Society have conducted the monitoring of the bird populations.

Fakta

Projecttype: EU Life og Natura 2000
Period: 2011-2016 (Project period has been prolonged to June 30 2020)
Partners: EU LIFE, AAGE V. JENSEN NATURFOND and Aalborg Kommune
Financing: 7.2 mio. euro. EU Life contributes with 4.1 mio. euro

Actions

What is Natura 2000 and LIFE+ Nature

Natura 2000 is an ecological network of protected areas within the European Union. The objective of the network is to maintain the diversity of plants, animals and habitats in Europe. Lille Vildmose is a Natura 2000 area.

Read more about Natura 2000 on the EU’s official Natura 2000 website .

LIFE+ Nature is a financial instrument that supports projects aiming at the protection and restoration of Natura 2000 areas. LIFE+ has a strong focus on projects that develop new methods or best practices, as these experiences can be used in future projects.

Read more about LIFE on the official LIFE website. Press the LIFE logo in the upper right corner for a link.

Contact

If you have a question concerning the LIFE+ project, you are always welcome to contact the project partners.

Danish Nature Agency
Danish Nature Agency Himmerland
Email:nst@nst.dk
Phone: + 45 72 54 39 00

Aalborg Municipality
Park & Nature
Email:park.natur@aalborg.dk
Telefon: +45 99 31 31 31

Aage V. Jensen Naturfond
Email:natur@avjf.dk
Telefon: +45 33 13 21 45