Neuvy-sur-Barangeon, Centre-Val de Loire Region, France
Project ended
Pilot site
The La Guette peat bog, degraded by drainage and common pioneer species, was restored through hydrological interventions and reintroduction of Sphagnum moss under the Care-Peat project. These measures aimed to enhance carbon storage, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience while generating transferable lessons for peatland management.
The La Guette peat bog, located 200 km south of Paris, experienced severe degradation due to a drainage by a ditch dug along a road at the outlet of the peatland. The disturbance resulted in lowering the water table level and increasing the water table fluctuations, which favor the occurence of pioneer species such as Molinia caerulea and Betula spp., at the expense of typical peatland species (e.g. Eriophorum spp, Rhynchospora spp) including Sphagnum, a major producer of peat. The peatland shifted from a carbon sink to a net carbon source, with declining biodiversity. Restoration efforts sought to reverse this trend, improve ecosystem function, and contribute to climate mitigation.
The restoration activities combined both hydrological and ecological measures. Excavated peat (full of Molinia caerulea and ericaceous shrub seeds) was placed at the edge of the bog to form a dam, where these common species are already present along with Betula spp. The dam can filter water from upstream and prevent Betula spp. that have been cut from growing back from their trunks. Sphagnum mosses were transplanted with dense patch methods, proving more resilient to drought than strand by strand transplants. These interventions aimed to re-establish peatland functions, enhance biodiversity, and restore carbon storage capacity.
The restoration strategy included multiple phases. First, peat stripping of the top 5–10 cm across 1,200 m² removed invasive Molinia caerulea and Betula spp. seeds. The stripped peat was used to form a dam at the bog’s edge, filtering water and reducing tree regrowth. Hydrology was improved by reducing outflow speed, increasing water residence time, and stabilising the water table. Vegetation restoration centred on Sphagnum moss transplantation. Two methods were tested: dense patches from intact areas and strand-by-strand transplanting. One of these two situations can be chosen depending on the initial amount of Sphagnum moss in the site to be restored. If sufficient sphagnum remains, the dense patch solution can be chosen. If few individuals are present, then strand-by-strand transplanting should be chosen. The dense patches managed to maintain themselves over time and to develop. This technique, which promotes the survival of sphagnum mosses, therefore seems promising. The patches with strand-by-strand transplants did not withstand the sucessive droughts. Almost all the individuals died. In view of the recurring drought conditions, dense patches are therefore to be preferred.
Finally removable wooden walkboards were then installed to enable the various monitoring operations to be carried out. Early results showed enhanced biodiversity, with bog-specific plant species increasing, alongside measurable improvements in carbon storage potential compared to control plots dominated by Molinia caerulea.
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