LIFEraisedbogs

Denmark’s delicate raised bog habitats, vital for biodiversity and climate mitigation, are showing promising signs of recovery thanks to the LIFEraisedbogs project — a major EU-funded initiative aiming to restore these threatened ecosystems.

Raised bogs, protected under the EU’s Habitats Directive, have been in an unfavourable condition in parts of Denmark due to poor hydrology, overgrowth, nutrient pollution, and habitat fragmentation. These factors have led to peat degradation, threatening not only the unique landscape but also the specialized species that depend on it, including rare water beetles and dragonflies.

Covering 1 394 hectares across ten project sites, mainly within Natura 2000 protected areas, the project has focused on improving hydrological conditions by raising groundwater levels and clearing invasive vegetation across more than 900 hectares. This has allowed 235 hectares of raised bogs to improve in condition, with an additional 429 hectares restored to encourage further development towards active bog status.

The project also supports biodiversity, aiming to benefit species such as the water beetles Dytiscus latissimus and Graphoderus bilineatus, and the dragonfly Leucorrhinia pectoralis through habitat restoration and pond renovations. While population increases have yet to be confirmed, monitoring is ongoing.

Importantly, the LIFEraisedbogs project contributes to climate goals by rewetting degraded peatlands, which significantly reduces carbon emissions. The restored sites are estimated to cut emissions by between 7 000 and 22 000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually, highlighting the critical role of peatlands as carbon sinks.

The project was a LIFE Awards 2025 finalist.