Degraded mires and peatlands restoration of North-East 1 region of Romania (Peat RO2)

About this project

<p>The general objective of the project is to improve ecological status in targeted ecosystems, reducing the negative effects of human activities and reducing vulnerability to the impact of climate change. Thus, the main goal of the project is the restoration of 12 wetlands/peatlands, cumulating a surface of 720.76 ha clustered in geographical zone of North-East 1 region (Suceava county) and Center region (Sibiu and Brasov county). For each of the targeted sites restoration schemes were already established, being available on the website of the call.</p> <p>Within the project implementation, for each site considered for reconstruction, specific mechanical interventions will be done in order to stop drainage, limit water loss through evapotranspiration, connect fragmented sites, limit anthropogenic activities within the site, waste collection, etc.</p> <p>Another category of ecological activities will be also undertaken in order to overcome biodiversity loss -&nbsp;<em>ex situ</em>&nbsp;conservation of some endangered peatland phytotaxa and invasive species control. Activities to improve ecosystem services, such as people's livelihood and attraction for tourism, will be promoted through communication and education events and involvement of local communities.</p> <p>In order to evaluate the success of restoration/reconstruction, some monitoring activities will be carried out too, including assessment of water table, of CO2 emissions, vegetation recovery and dynamics (indicator species) etc. The societal output from restoration to local communities will be evaluate by contact and dialog with local people, industry, and local authorities.</p>

Bilateral cooperation results

Entire project implementation period was an active exchange of knowledge, materials and ideas between the Romanian researchers and the Norwegian researchers from Norwegian Institute for Nature Conservation Research (NINA), partner in the project, and the collaboration with the experts of the Norwegian partner NINA revealed the main similarities and differences between the peatland ecosystems in Norway and Romania. During working visit in Romania, the Norwegian partner NINA experts emphasized the differences between the characteristics of the peatland sites in Norway and Romania, as well as, implicitly, the restoration activities that are undertaken. The Norwegian experts explained in detail the working methods they apply for restoration and those for monitoring the effectiveness of the measures undertaken. The Norwegian team shared best practices, including restoration methods, monitoring tools, and public engagement strategies. They offered constructive feedback on Romania’s restoration efforts, commending the quality of work and contributing suggestions to enhance the structure of restoration plans and improve the design of ecotourism-focused web pages promoting restored sites. The exchange also extended to educational initiatives. NINA provided eco-training materials and participated in public awareness activities, including classroom sessions and field visits—most notably during the visit to Coșna Secondary School, where Norwegian materials supported training for local contractors. NINA experts also took actively part (including presentations) in key project events, including the launch, midterm seminar, and final conference. This high-quality bilateral cooperation significantly enhanced the technical and educational value of the PeatRO2 project, illustrating the strength of EEA-funded initiatives in fostering impactful transnational partnerships and advancing shared environmental objectives.

Project partners

• The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research Donor project partner· Norway