Renaturation of German heathland

At the heart of the UNESCO Schaalsee Biosphere Reserve, the Schönwolder moorland is a subject of great interest. Located in northern Germany, to the east of Hamburg, it is home to a “domed” peat bog. This type of wetland, colonized by vegetation in a water-saturated environment, is said to be “domed” when it is very thick and fed by regular rainfall.
This rain bog is one of the few with an almost intact layer structure. Almost intact? Because its equilibrium has been disturbed by past drainage operations.
The Biosphäre Schaalsee foundation has undertaken to rehabilitate and protect the area. The aim is to improve the peat bog's water supply by closing ditches and delaying reforestation.  The project should enable the vegetation typical of domed bogs to re-establish itself over a larger area once the construction work is completed. Eventually, around 131 ha (43 ha of raised bog, fed by rainwater) and 88 ha of lower bog (fed by runoff) will experience higher water levels.
This program to promote biodiversity goes hand in hand with an ambition to improve climate regulation: the raised bog acts as a carbon sink. Intact, still-growing peatlands accumulate 250 to 350 kg of carbon per hectare every year. It's a twofold project, supported by Veolia Stiftung, the German corporate foundation of the Veolia Group, together with the Veolia Foundation.