Green valleys: connecting habitats conservation with long term biomass management and multi-stakeholder approach

The Green valleys project aims to restore ten habitats of conservation importance, including meadows, fens and alluvial forests in Flanders (Belgium) and alkaline fens in Poland. In particular, the project will address habitat fragmentation, eutrophication and drainage. Restoration actions will include removing plantations of non-native trees (e.g. poplars), removing nutrient-rich topsoil, and converting agricultural land back into wetland habitats. Extensive mowing and grazing will be reinstated on open habitats. The project will develop long-term solutions to the problem of biomass production, designed to reduce overall carbon dioxide (C02) emissions, in line with climate change policy, and based around the concept of the circular economy, by turning waste biomass into raw materials. Finally, the project aims to purchase land to ensure the sustainable protection of target habitats, train volunteers in habitat management, and promote the transfer and replication of the project's approach.
Expected results:
* Creation of 45 ha of new lowland hay meadow habitat;
* Improvement of around 40 ha of existing alkaline fens habitat;
* Improvement of 40 ha of alluvial forests habitat, and 40 ha of sub-Atlantic and medio-European oak or oak-hornbeam forests habitat;
* Creation of 8 ha of new hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities habitat and improvement of 11 ha of this habitat;
* Creation of 5 ha of new Molinia meadows habitat and improvement of 2 ha of this habitat;
* Improvement of 5 ha of existing Atlantic acidophilous beech forests habitat, and of over 3 ha of hard oligo-mesotrophic waters habitat;
* Creation of 1.5 ha of new species-rich Nardus grassland;
* Purchase of 56 ha to ensure the sustainable protection of the target habitats;
* Delivery of solutions for the biomass generated during the management of target habitats, while limiting greenhouse gas emissions and bringing an economic return;
* A team of volunteers trained, who are responsible for an important part of the continuous management of the restored habitats; and
* Awareness raised about the project?s actions in Belgium and Poland, and transfer of knowledge and methodology to stakeholders across the EU