We have a range of reforestation projects that include the restoration of illegal clear cuts, areas destroyed by wildfires & former agriculture lands devoid of biodiversity.

Reforestation Projects

All of our rewilding projects have as their main aim to maximise the restoration of wilderness and the promotion of biodiversity.

Rewilding Projects

Restore wildlife habitats and support biodiversity.

The lesser blind mole rat (Nannospalax leucodon) has some highly specialised physical adaptations. Unlike some mole rats belonging to the family of rodents called Spalacidae and despite its name, the lesser blind mole rat is not completely blind. Its tiny (1mm) eyes are sunken beneath its skin and fur that act as light sensors. Adults typically range from 11 to 16 cm in length but can grow as much as 27 cm. These characteristics along with its cylindrical tailless body, no external ears, fur coat and protruding incisor teeth, make it uniquely adapted to life underground. 

Being well equipped to spend most of its time burrowing beneath the surface, this rodent is capable of building impressive long tunnels. To do this, it prefers areas with a deep layer of loose, draining soil that can be easily dug. The mounds they create appear like molehills, only bigger, and are used for foraging, nesting and shelter. This particular species is found across Eastern European lowland meadows and pastures where there is a semi-steppe climate.

As a solitary species, lesser blind mole rats live separately in special corridor systems. They only encounter others during mating season (January and February) with a gestation period of about 3-4 weeks. After this time, females typically produce litters of 2-6 babies. Mole rats are mainly active during the night, when they emerge from their tunnels in search of food. Their diet predominantly consists of potatoes, onions, carrots, parsley and other tuberous shoots. Possessing strong incisors allows them to gnaw through an assortment of plant material.

Below ground behaviours impacting vegetation above

Burrowing animals are important ecosystem engineers of open habitats. In the case of the lesser blind mole rat, through their burrowing they shift large amounts of soil creating sparsely vegetated areas. Studies have found these patches often consist of different vegetation from the surrounding habitat. In this sense, the lesser blind mole rat is considered to engineer its environment to benefit biodiversity. Their impact on vegetation happens in the following ways:

By consuming below ground plant organs like bulbs and roots, they help reduce certain plant species abundance. Conversely, any leftover organs a mole rat doesn’t eat, can sprout later.

Mole rat mounds allow for areas of open soil surface which affects vegetation dynamics and can increase species diversity.

The presence of such underground species impacts soil structure and parameters.

From abundance to ‘extinction’ in Croatia

The story of the lesser blind mole rat’s demise is one of land use change and the resulting loss of its habitat.

Years of increasing agricultural intensification, urbanisation and infrastructure development, meant the species’ natural habitat of grasslands and pastures gradually gave way to other land uses. Mole rat populations withered as these habitats were ploughed and the animal began adapting to life on agricultural landscapes. It’s on these private fields of pastures, small crop-fields and orchards the mole rat caused damage and suffered persecution. Eventually, the species was declared extinct in Croatia in 1984. After almost three decades without a single sighting, the existence of a small population was confirmed in 2023 in Vučedol, near the banks of the Danube River. Being the only known population and recently discovered, there is little knowledge on their status and current threats.

There is a fear among conservationists from BIOTA that after the attention and excitement of discovering this new population settles, the species will be deemed a pest once more. It is therefore essential to gather information quickly to safeguard the species and avoid it slipping ‘back’ into extinction. Their survival would not only be of conservation value but they would also improve the landscape ecologically through the mole rat’s role as an ecosystem engineer.

The two key objectives of this project are:

to address the knowledge gap on this newly discovered population; 

to serve as a rapid response to prevent its potential extinction.

To achieve the first objective biologists from BIOTA intend to develop a non-invasive and cost-effective eDNA based approach to detect this secretive species. This involves identifying a sequence in the DNA of lesser blind mole rats that can be used to distinguish it from other species and then analysing soil from active tunnels to validate the method. We hope that by developing and validating this eDNA approach, we will make it faster and cheaper to assess the distribution of the species and that this will allow us (and anyone else working to conserve the species) to be more data-driven in our efforts to help this species bounce back.

The second objective will require the team to act quickly on several fronts involving:

assessing the status and threats to the newly detected population;

identifying appropriate solutions and conservation actions to tackle the threats and ensure the species’ pervaliance.

BIOTA will conduct an assessment of the species’ status and threats, including a survey at the site and suitable locations surrounding the confirmed sightings. One of the main aims is to evaluate the presence or absence of the species, which will involve checking the areas for large molehills. 

Discussions will also be initiated with local farmers and authorities to seek viable solutions for the coexistence of mole rats and farmers. Several actions can be explored, such as relocating the population or converting the surrounding available land into feedlots to reduce any potential damage to farmland.

We would like to thank our members for making it possible for us to set aside a budget of €5,000 to cover staff, equipment, materials and any urgent damage control measures that may be needed to facilitate the coexistence between the species and local people.

The future of this species is tightly linked to the way it is perceived by the people who interact with it day to day. Therefore we believe that any measures designed to help the species recover have to be co-designed with local people through healthy dialogue and collaboration if they are to have a long lasting impact. This is especially important because the lesser blind mole rat can cause damage to crops and this is something that cannot be ignored as we look for ways of finding space for the species in the landscape. 

Further benefits could also extend to these areas: 

Once developed and validated, the eDNA monitoring approach can be implemented by anyone that has the needed tools and skills. This could open the door for additional research and will also make it easier for the Public Institution for Management of Protected Areas of Nature in Vukovar-Srijem County to update the distribution of the species and make well informed management decisions.

By collecting baseline data and shedding light on the situation, we will be laying the foundation for additional work. The data we collect may help to attract more funding to support the recovery of the species. The successful recovery of the lesser blind mole rat could become a reason for pride among the local community and perhaps attract interest from tourists visiting the  City of Vukovar. 

This work should also generate momentum around this topic and facilitate the collaboration between different stakeholders including local landowners and public institutions.

We would like to thank our members for funding this project and our partners, BIOTA, for taking swift action to ensure the reappearance of this unique underground animal isn’t short lived.

For more details of this intervention, check out the interview below with our conservation biologist and project manager, Tiago de Zoeten.

Lesser blind mole-rat project discussion w/ Tiago & Meija

Lesser blind mole rat map icon 185.svg

HR_001_MOLERAT_Rewilding management plan.docx.pdf

This burrowing ecosystem engineer has been rediscovered after being declared extinct in Croatia. This is the first phase of a rapid response to assess the species status, threats and plan of action.

Safeguarding the Lesser Blind Mole Rat

A rapid response to protect the only known population in Croatia

The lesser blind mole rat, a peculiar underground rodent, has been rediscovered in Croatia. Thought to be regionally extinct, sightings of this small subterranean mammal provide new hope for the future of the species in the country. Spending most of its life underground building complex tunnel systems, these mole rats have an interesting effect on the areas they inhibit. As ecosystem engineers, their burrowing behaviour affects soil structure and species composition. Having already suffered a difficult past being branded as agricultural pests, we are working quickly with partners, BIOTA, to prevent the Croatian population from vanishing again. This mission begins with addressing a knowledge gap through detecting the newly discovered population using eDNA analysis and assessing their status and threats.

We’re reclaiming Iceland's Deserts - here’s how

We're reclaiming Iceland's Deserts - here's how

We plant downy birch (Betula pubescens) as the dominant species because it is an excellent pioneer, which will make the conditions more favourable for other native tree species to thrive. Tea leaved willow (Salix phylicifolia) is incredibly efficient at natural dispersal so it is only a small proportion of our planting to create seed islands where willow is absent from the landscape. Aspen (Populus tremula) is similarly efficient at self propagation. The final native species found in these birch woodlands is rowan but this will survive much better if planted a few years after the other species once conditions are more favourable.

Redpoll (Acanthis flammea), redwing (Turdus iliacus), snipe (Gallinago gallinago) and ptarmigan (Lagopus muta).

Learn More About the Context Behind this Project

At the time of human settlement almost 1,150 years ago, Iceland had a forest cover of between 25% to 40%. By the mid 20th century, it is thought to have been reduced to less than 1% of the total land area, perhaps even less than 0.5%. 

Huge swathes of forest were cleared by the first settlers of the island, who used the wood for fuel, ships and houses, and then also cleared forest to make room for sheep grazing. 

For the last few decades, tree planting projects and afforestation grants have got underway, and today, native woodland cover stands at around 1%. The Iceland government aims to increase that number to 5% in the next 50 years. 

Iceland birchwoods are unusual in that they are the only type of native woodland to form in Iceland. All other woodland types are comprised of non-native species, such as spruce and larch. Birchwoods are comprised predominantly of a single species - downy birch. Rowan and tea-leaved willow add some diversity to the woodland, as well as aspen, an extremely rare tree in Iceland that exists in only 6 wild locations. Birchwoods are also not particularly tall, with trees reaching roughly 15m in height in sheltered valleys. Towards the coast and on exposed sites, birchwoods transition to birch and willow scrub, and at high elevations to willow tundra. 

Birchwoods provide important habitat for wildlife, particularly birdlife, such as wrens, redwings, and redpolls. They are also important for capturing carbon and as a windbreak. Iceland is well known for its wind, which, combined with its volcanic activity, is a recipe for disastrous sand and ash storms that blow unimpeded across much of the landscape. Birchwoods can help stabilise soils and act as a much-needed barrier against the storms. 

When settlers arrived in Iceland, they began harvesting birchwoods for fuel, building material and livestock fodder. The most important forest produce at the time was charcoal, needed to smelt iron and make iron tools. Birchwoods were also cut down to create fields and grazing land for sheep, which were farmed for wool and later for food.  

Once the trees were cut down, woodland cover continued to decline due to overgrazing by sheep. Sheep roam freely across the landscape and can browse naturally generating birch trees. If you want to keep sheep off your land in Iceland, it is your responsibility to keep them out by building a fence. Today, natural regeneration failure due to livestock grazing is the principle cause of deforestation. 

Iceland has been described as the most eroded land in Europe, possibly the world. As the woodlands and vegetation disappeared, soil was left exposed to the hash Icelandic climate. Over time, this has left poor quality substrate and little in the way of nutrients for trees to grow across many areas in Iceland. Considerable efforts have been put into halting and reversing this trend in the last century, led by the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland.

A cooling climate, volcanic eruptions and other types of disturbance are sometimes cited as causes for the decline in woodland in Iceland, but do not explain the entire picture. Cooling temperatures might have lowered the tree line, as the higher altitude areas became more inhospitable to trees, but do not explain the disappearance of birchwoods in the lowlands. Natural disturbances, such as volcanic eruptions, are sporadic and restricted to particular sites, so not do explain the widespread deforestation across the country.

The initial planting site allocated for this project was in the west of the country in an area called Bakkakotsháls, translated to Bankcroft Hill. However, planting at this location was suspended due to a complaint received about an access road to the site being repaired. 

The Icelandic Forestry Service has reassigned this project to an area located in Skeiða- og Gnúpverjahreppur in the south of Iceland. The planting area is situated just south of Selklettar mountain besides a hill of 240m in elevation named Skridhufell. In 2023, we also planted on the opposite side of the valley. The area is picturesque with a winding river running through it and a waterfall close by. Wildlife that inhibits the area include the native arctic fox and a variety of birdlife. The area also contains patches of eroded soil and lupin - a rapid spreading invasive plant. As this plant has soil improving qualities and is the topic of debate around Iceland, we've made a special video on this divisive issue (see below).

If you'd like dig deeper into this component of the project, see our management plan.

Private landowners, Kári and Ragnheiður, are overseeing our tree planting on their 100 ha property between 2024-2028. The land was once covered in vast forests containing rich soil, but has suffered degradation due to erosion and land use. The initial degradation of the land happened after a huge sandstorm swept through the area in 1882. Since then, despite the area being fenced off to browsing pressure from sheep, not much else has been done except for lupine seeding and small batches of birch planting to restore the forests to their former glory. 

In preparation for each planting season, the soil will be prepared for planting by using organic fertilisers and seeds, in collaboration with the Soil Conservation Agency (Landgræðslan) in Gunnarsholt. A especially prepared seed mixture for landowners with barren lands will help reduce erosion rates and improve conditions for local plants.

In addition to planting birch, we will plant aspen, alder, black cottonwood and willow to avoid uniformity and increase the likelihood of success.

For further information, see this Management Plan.

Our long-term plans are to work towards wider restoration objectives in Iceland. The next step we've taken is to set up a wetland restoration project in the vast freshwater ecosystems of Mýrar, West Iceland.

Here is a take on the divisive invasive plant in Iceland. Check it out and let us know your opinion! 

Iceland's Deserts Are Turning Purple - here's why

Check out this playlist to follow this project's story on YouTube.

Galtalækur Landskógar management plan.pdf

Icelandic forest cover currently stands at 1.5% from previous levels of 25-40%. Learn how this reforestation project aims to return native forests to Iceland once more.

Reforesting Iceland

Bringing Icelandic birchwoods back to the land of fire and ice

Iceland is known for its vast open landscapes shaped by massive volcanos and expansive glaciers. Native birchwoods, the only woodland type to form in Iceland, are also an important part of the landscape. They offer food and shelter for biodiversity, help stabilise soil, provide wind breaks, and sequester carbon. At one point, it is thought that 25-40% of Iceland was covered in birchwoods. Now, it's just 1%. This project, in partnership with the Iceland Forest Service and private landowners Kári and Ragnheiður, aims to restore birchwoods to an area about 120km east of Reykjavik in the southern uplands of Iceland, where natural succession could take centuries or even millennia.

This project builds on an ongoing Mossy Earth project in Benin, which combines native tree planting with the half-moon technique. Half-moons are shallow, semicircular pits (approximately 1 m in diameter), spaced 1 m apart in rows roughly 2 m apart. They are designed to capture surface runoff in gently sloping areas with bare, crusted soils, helping to improve water infiltration and support plant establishment.

In this study, each half-moon plot will serve as an experimental unit. Six treatments will be tested: treatments A–D will each be replicated five times (n = 20 total), while treatments E and F will each be replicated ten times, split evenly across two sites (n = 20 total). Altogether, this results in 40 experimental plots.

Control (A): Bowalised plot, no intervention.

Half-Moon Pit Only (B): Half-moon pit, no biotic intervention.

Ant (Passive) (C): Passive attraction using ant-mutualist plants or scale insects within half-moon pits.

Ant (Direct) (D): Direct inoculation with lab-reared Crematogaster or Pheidole colonies into half-moon pits.

Termite (E): Half-moon pit inoculated with a small Cubitermes mound.

Ant + Termite (F): Both ant colony and termite mound introduced to a half-moon pit.

Data will be analysed using repeated-measures ANOVA to assess how soil depth, seedling recruitment, seed-bank density, and key soil properties vary across treatments over time. This approach accounts for changes within the same plots and allows the team to evaluate both overall treatment effects and how these effects evolve through time.

minimise disturbance and stress during colony collection, transport, and handling

use only healthy, locally native ant species, ensuring queens and viable colony sizes are maintained

release colonies under suitable environmental conditions, with careful site preparation to support natural establishment

monitor colonies regularly using non-intrusive methods to assess health, survival, and ecosystem integration

implement clear intervention protocols, including relocation or study termination if colonies show signs of distress or failure

avoid impacts on sensitive or high-value habitats through careful site selection and baseline ecological surveys

limit competition and disruption to native species by controlling colony density, spacing, and study scale

monitor broader ecosystem effects, including soil fauna, seed dispersal, and species interactions

prevent disease or parasite spread through health screening, quarantine, and use of local genetic stock

ensure no lethal control is used, with contingency plans focused on humane relocation if needed

leave successfully established colonies in place to contribute to long-term ecosystem restoration

maintain transparency by documenting and reporting all ecological impacts throughout the study

Severely degraded bowé landscapes — hardened ferricrete surfaces left barren, compacted, and inhospitable to plant life — are among the most challenging ecosystems to restore in West Africa. This project explores whether native ant species can help reverse this degradation by harnessing their natural ecosystem engineering abilities.

Ants play a powerful but often overlooked role in shaping soils through excavation, nutrient cycling, and mutualistic relationships with plants. This project will test whether introducing ant colonies through passive attraction or direct inoculation can improve soil structure, increase moisture retention, and enhance fertility on compacted bowé surfaces. By comparing ant-only, termite-only, and combined biotic treatments alongside the half-moon restoration techniques, the team aims to understand how these organisms may work independently or synergistically to rebuild soil health and trigger vegetation recovery.

The vision is to develop a low-cost, scalable, and ecologically sound restoration method that leverages natural processes rather than mechanical or chemical interventions. If successful, this approach could transform restoration strategies across West Africa’s degraded savannas and other arid landscapes facing similar challenges.

restore soil structure and fertility on degraded bowé landscapes

accelerate vegetation recovery through natural ecosystem engineers

enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functioning

provide a scalable, low-cost alternative to conventional restoration methods

support rural livelihoods dependent on healthy savanna ecosystems

What is the current research on the use of ants as soil restoration agents?

What are the impacts of ants on soil properties and plant communities in natural habitats in West Africa?

Can the introduction of ant colonies accelerate soil accumulation and development on degraded ferricrete (bowal) surfaces?

Do ants improve seed-bank density and natural seedling recruitment in bowalised landscapes?

How does ant activity affect key soil properties such as moisture content, organic matter, and phosphorus availability over time?

Are passive attraction methods (e.g. planting mutualistic flora or inoculating with scale insects) as effective as direct colony inoculation in establishing ant populations and restoring soils?

How do restoration outcomes differ between ant-only, termite-only, and combined (ant + termite) treatments with the half-moon technique in terms of soil enhancement and plant regeneration?

Can ants serve as reliable and scalable biotic agents for ecological restoration in degraded tropical savannas, particularly where termites are less viable?

To assess the effects of ant and termite interventions on bowe restoration with the half-moon technique, the following variables will be measured at baseline (T₀) and after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months:

Soil Accumulation: Measured as soil depth using a corrosion-resistant probe at six randomly selected points per plot. This quantifies bioturbation and topsoil formation.

Seed Bank Density: Five soil cores (5 cm diameter, 5 cm deep) will be collected per plot. Soil will be germinated under controlled greenhouse conditions, and seedling emergence will be recorded as a proxy for seed-bank richness and viability.

Natural Seedling Recruitment: All seedlings emerging naturally within a central 1 m² quadrat in each plot will be counted and identified monthly during the wet season and quarterly otherwise.

Soil Properties: Composite soil samples will be collected per plot and analysed for: Moisture content (gravimetric method) Organic matter (loss on ignition) Available phosphorus (e.g. Olsen method)

Ant communities: Number of ant individuals per species, the ant species richness and relative abundance will be collected within a plot of 10 m × 10 m every three months to measure : Presence–absence of ants. Changes in species richness and abundance

The project runs from January 2026 to January 2028.

12,116 to cover staff time and expenses, and consumables and equipment.

Over recent decades, large swathes of Slovakia’s wetlands have been lost. They have been drained to make way for agriculture as a result of the construction of dams for hydroelectric power, as well as for timber production. Wetlands are an integral part of the Danube floodplain landscape in Slovakia and draining them to plant trees has detrimental impacts on the environment. Wetlands store large amounts of carbon and are home to a diversity of plant and animal species that are specially adapted to the wet conditions. One of these species is the nationally endangered and endemic Pannonian root vole, which has declined drastically in Slovakia in response to disappearing wetlands. This project will turn forest back into a wetland by digging 650 meters of ditches. This will kickstart a “flood” of change and bring back a healthy functioning, sustainable and wilder ecosystem.

Two years ago we flooded a forest- now it's full of life

This ambitious project aims to restore an area of degraded wetland by digging water channels that to reconnect the site to a nearby river. These channels will enable water to travel from the river to the core area of the wetland and restore a more beneficial flooding regime. The project will also remove encroaching woody vegetation that is outcompeting the native wetland plant communities. 

create suitable conditions for the regeneration of the wetland plant communities;

suppress the expansion of non-native plant species;

create suitable habitat for a diversity of invertebrates, amphibians, birds and mammals;

and finally, sequester vast amounts of carbon.

We will be supporting our partners BROZ to create 650 meters of water channels to restore a 64ha wetland. 

Wetlands can be found anywhere water interacts with land. The diverse and complex conditions of wetland habitats can support a diversity species, including an abundance of invertebrate and bird life. Wetlands are therefore some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on earth. They also play a crucial role when it comes to climate change. They help fight floods by absorbing excess water and limit droughts by releasing water slowly.

The waterlogged conditions combined with high plant productivity make many freshwater wetlands, including the wetlands we are restoring, significant carbon sinks. Our wetland has the potential to sequester between 200 – 350 tonnes of carbon per year (Mitsch et al., 2013; Brix et al. 2001). When converted to carbon dioxide this means that every year it will sequester about 1290 tonnes of CO2 out of the atmosphere. That is the equivalent of you taking 3902 flights between Lisbon and London or the full footprint of about 189 average Europeans each year. 

The Pannonian root vole is what’s known as a glacial relict. This means it is a species leftover from the cold-adapted communities of the Ice Age. As the climate warmed and the continental ice sheets retreated, the Pannonian root vole population disappeared from most of its range.  However, it managed to avoid complete extinction, surviving as isolated populations in the vicinity of the Danube river in Slovakia, Hungary and Austria. 

Despite clinging on for thousands of years after the Ice Age, the Pannonian root vole is now under immense pressure from human activity. As well as having an already restricted range, the Pannonian root vole has very specific habitat requirements, which makes it a particularly sensitive species. 

Their survival hinges upon the conservation and restoration of functioning wetland habitats. 

The site we are restoring was drained during the 80s and 90s primarily due to the construction of a dam, and secondarily to create suitable conditions for timber production. An extensive wetland ecosystem, 80ha in size, was lost. This is a perfect example of how not all tree planting is beneficial to the environment. 

Prior to this project, the site had still flooded, but very rarely and for such a short period of time that the wetland’s natural communities were unable to establish. The native plant species that are important for the Pannonian root vole had been in a state of decline and had been replaced by woody vegetation, such as shrubs and trees, and invasive plants had taken over. Our intervention has begun to reverse this situation. See the transformative results in the videos below.

See the impressive results of the first flood below!

We flooded a forest - the result blew our minds

What Happened to the Forest We Flooded?

Showing the results of this year's spring & summer floods.

One year ago we flooded a forest - the results are insane

Returning a regular flooding regime to create a temporary wetland habitat. 

Mossy Earth Final Report and Spending Report.docx.pdf

wetland_circle.svg

Microtus II Wetland Restoration Management Plan.docx.pdf

Flooding a forest to restore a wetland ecosystem in the Slovakian inland delta of the Danube River.

Restoring Wetlands

Turning a forest back into a biodiverse, carbon rich wetland

How we are reviving an Ancient Icelandic Wetland

A vital breeding ground for international waders

Iceland is a crucial hub for migratory birds, hosting the breeding population of 52% of the world’s Eurasian Golden Plovers, 27% of Eurasian Whimbrels, and 12% of all Common Redshanks. After breeding, these birds migrate south, linking Iceland to ecosystems across Europe and Africa. The Mýrar-Löngufjörur area is one of the country’s protected natural areas, where these birds of international importance come every year to nest alongside others, like waterfowl species. Its low-lying aquatic vegetation provides perfect shelter, with rich food sources available from plant material, invertebrates and other species.

In our project areas in the Kálfalækur and Blöndulækur watersheds, a combination of peatlands, shallow lakes and small wetland streams are home to a diversity of flora and fauna. Some of the species in the area include: Brown Trout (Salmo trutta), Dunlin (Calidris alpina), Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa), Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago), Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), Spiny quillwort (Isoetes echinospora), Lake quillwort (Isoetes lacustris), Rusty Hook-moss (corpidium revolvens), Lustrous Bog-moss (Sphagnum subnitens subsp. Subnitens), and the critically endangered European eel Eel (Anguilla anguilla).

One of the most remarkable lifecycles supported by Mýrar’s wetland ecosystems is that of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla). Traversing thousands of kilometres and transforming dramatically at different life stages, it's a story of endurance, metamorphosis, and survival.

Beginning life in its sole spawning grounds in the Sargasso Sea, eel larvae are carried up to 6,000 km via ocean currents to the coasts of Europe, where they metamorphose into glass eels. Icelandic wetlands become their home during a crucial growth phase that can last up to 20 years. Here, eels play important ecological roles as both predator and prey, before beginning their migration (without feeding!) back to the Sargasso Sea, where they spawn and die.

Peatlands are unique wetlands where waterlogged soils preserve partially decayed plant matter over thousands of years. The low oxygen levels slow decomposition, creating rich, carbon-storing soils in conditions that support specially adapted plants like mosses, sedges and grasses. Many of Iceland’s wetlands are special in that they contain soil properties, such Andosol and Histosol, not commonly found elsewhere in the world. Their fertile grounds often consist of deep intact layers of peat with high organic content. Soils can extend 1-3 metres in thickness that can store 33 to >100 kg C m−2, which exceeds global averages of carbon storage.

The peatland vegetation in our project area is mainly characterised by Common cotton-grass, which provides food and habitat suited to numerous species, particularly wading birds. While this vegetation still shows signs of its original wetland character, historic land use has altered water flow and plant communities significantly. 

A landscape impacted by drainage and channels

Last century, widespread drainage and channelisation reshaped Iceland’s wetlands. Between 1960s and 1990s, in attempts to improve food security and rural livelihoods, the government subsidised access to large excavators, which farmers in Mýrar used to drain peatlands, lakes and straighten natural stream channels to expand agricultural land. While areas of land were converted, not all attempts were successful in improving conditions for farming. Today, only small areas of land are kept for horses and sheep grazing. 

In the Kálfalækur and Blöndulækur watersheds, the channelised streams have led to the formation of barriers that disconnect freshwater habitats. They cut off vital spawning grounds for trout and blocked eels' migratory paths through the system. Habitats for other aquatic life have also been destroyed with reduced water affecting the integrity of the peatlands. Not only has this altered general ecosystem health, but it has increased carbon emissions as peatland conditions deteriorate and their carbon-storing powers diminish.

This project is an exciting opportunity to reverse some of the ecological damage in Mýrar by reconnecting freshwater habitats and reviving peatlands. Restoring these ancient wetlands not only supports local wildlife, it also provides crucial breeding and resting grounds for great migratory species, extending the impact far beyond Iceland.

In partnership with the Land and Forest Iceland, Fuglavernd/ BirdLife Iceland, the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute and the RSPB - Flyways Programme, we've identified these opportunities to improve the landscape. 

This project is the first phase of re-opening connectivity and restoring channels, lakes and peatlands in the wetland system. Our focus is on restoring two vital watersheds in the Mýrar region: Kálfalækur and Blöndulækur. Both areas have been heavily impacted by past land use, where peatlands were drained, streams were straightened, and fish migration routes were blocked.

Restore natural hydrological processes and flows to reconnect habitat for migratory freshwater species

Create and restore peatland habitat for more biodiversity, with a particular focus on breeding wader populations as an indicator of habitat function

If you want to see a lay of the land before reading our plans, view this 360° drone image.

In both watersheds, we’re restoring natural stream channels and removing barriers that prevent migratory freshwater fish from reaching spawning and feeding grounds. This will be done by removing four man-made barriers and regrading the watercourses. 

Beginning with Stream Bretalækur in the Kálfalækur watershed, two barriers are being removed and redesigned using a natural step-pool approach. This involves closing drainage ditches that were cut into natural streams, diverting flows and causing the build up of barriers in the streams. By closing these ditches and re-profiling the area into step-pools, we will allow the flow to reach Lake Bretavatn. In doing so, this opens up 30.6 ha of feeding grounds for trout, connecting them from spawning grounds in the stream. Other species, including birds, will also benefit from the restored habitat, with islets in the lakes also providing breeding areas. This phase will improve the freshwater connectivity of the system by another 4 km.

In the Blöndulækur watershed, we’re removing another two barriers to open access to two small restored lakes, which in turn will connect three lakes across the watershed. To do this, full channel realignments will replace artificial drainage ditches. For both barriers, we will close the channel and build more natural connections by redesigning the flow between lakes. Creating longer, more natural bends provides more habitat for aquatic organisms as well as helps prevent erosion, which could dramatically lead to the lakes draining again. By replicating natural and physical processes as much as possible, we are trying to ensure the re-opened watercourse is physically stable for the long-term.  

The restoration work in Blöndulækur will result in critically endangered eel gaining access to two more lakes, which is 21.6 ha of new habitat. With the lakes reconnecting to 6.3 km stream habitat, this benefits both resident and anadromous trout who also access more vital habitat. Once the final obstacle is removed, there will be an uninterrupted flow that extends 16 km from the headwaters out to sea.

As part of the restoration, any fish present will be carefully rescued using electrofishing to safely move trout and endangered eels upstream before barriers are removed. In parallel, we're studying fish populations in affected lakes by trapping, measuring, and tagging eel and trout. The data will help us estimate population sizes, track their movement between lakes and understand their age and growth through scale analysis.

In total, 3,362 meters of surrounding drainage ditches will be closed, allowing the peatlands to re-wet and the water table to rise. As natural flows are restored, the decomposition of organic matter will slow and reduce GHG emissions, and conditions for peatland vegetation will improve. Overall, these changes will boost ecosystem health, benefiting many species but especially vital for wading birds and waterfowls, which rely on these wetlands being intact and healthy habitats to breed.

This project also seeks to engage stakeholders like landowners in the process of restoring their lands. They will be supported and guided on how to track changes to the wetlands by being fully involved in the monitoring. Through active participation, our ambition is to demonstrate a new, more holistic model of wetland restoration— one which both biodiversity and people benefit.

Different angles of Mýrar's inland wetland ecosystem, including its inhabitants and species, the migration barriers and spectacular Icelandic scenery. 

To measure the impact of our actions, the project team monitors key indicators and compares outcomes to the baseline scenario. Some of the areas we’ll be looking to assess include changes in watercourse topology, peatland water table levels, wader populations, and where possible breeding densities recorded. Any relevant results that are gathered will be shared more widely through the RSPB Flyways Programme— a network of conservation sites aimed at protecting vital habitats for migratory birds along the East Atlantic Flyway.

Mossy Earth is providing €135,364 of the total budget of €157,483 to cover staffing, engineer contractors, equipment, travel and monitoring costs.

Asset 76.svg

Restoration of wetlands in Mýrar Management Plan.docx.pdf

Closing ditches and removing barriers to rewet peatland and reconnect crucial freshwater habitat in the inland wetlands of Mýrar, West Iceland.

Restoring Ancient Wetlands

Closing ditches and removing barriers to rewet peatland and reconnect crucial freshwater habitat

The inland wetland of Mýrar in West Iceland is an ancient freshwater ecosystem of international importance. Its expansive freshwater habitats are resting places for migratory birds, some of whose global populations rely on them as breeding grounds. Within its many lakes and streams, species like the critically endangered eel feed and grow during epic migrations. In two key catchments of the Mýrar wetlands, we’re supporting the first wetland restoration project of its kind in Iceland for freshwater species. The goals? To unblock migratory paths, rewet drained peatlands and restore flows that connect all the way out to sea.

We’re chainsawing healthy trees into rivers - here's why

Riparian Ecosystems - supporting an array of aquatic life

Rich riparian ecosystems host a complexity of biodiversity and support many natural processes and functions. In addition to providing habitats for insects, fish and other species drawn to these vibrant water sources, they play a role in mitigating flooding and pollution. Natural riverside ‘buffer’ zones, where areas like swales and small wetlands form, can reduce peak flows, capture pollutants from agricultural runoff and promote natural processing of nutrients. 

Another vital component of healthy, dynamic riverine ecosystems is tree cover. By providing shade, trees help control rising water temperatures, hence minimising the thermal stress on aquatic life which can be fatal for fish species like the Atlantic salmon. Tree root systems also prevent riverbank erosion and are used by fish to shelter from predators. Further to this, riparian trees help reduce airborne spray drift of agrochemicals and add woody debris and leaf litter into the system that creates habitats, more dynamic water flow and aids pollutant removal. That being said, too much tree cover blocks the light needed for photosynthesis for other important aquatic plants. This can adversely affect species reliant on a diversity of vegetation. The ideal balance between shade and open areas is generally agreed at 60% shading of the channel with 40% receiving dappled sunlight.

Situated within the Bristol Avon catchment, the River Chew has fragments of lush wetlands and ancient woodlands that provide vital wildlife corridors for insects, birds, bats and mammals. The river also supports migratory fish after their arduous migrations out to sea when they return to spawn in freshwater habitat. Among the species found to be using the tributaries through eDNA testing is the European eel, sea trout, brook lamprey and the iconic Atlantic salmon, all of which appear on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. 

Maintaining healthy populations of these species has a positive cascading effect across freshwater and marine ecosystems. Take the Atlantic salmon for example, it’s a prey species to many animals along its migration and brings nutrients from the ocean upstream to freshwater environments through excretion, spawning and decay. Current challenges of habitat degradation and obstruction in the Chew catchment are jeopardising these species’ life cycles, risking the balance of interactions that would result from population declines.

Within the Bristol Avon catchment only 12% of water bodies have been classified as having good ecological status. Reasons attributed to the poor conditions include physical alterations to watercourses and elevated levels of phosphate and nitrate. There are other factors considered to also affect this, such as fine sediment loads from land use, pesticides, pharmaceutical chemicals and contaminated road runoff. Subsequently, fish populations are threatened by the pressures created by poor water quality and pollution as well as physical barriers like weirs that prevent them reaching spawning sites.

One of the main drivers of degradation to these precious riparian ecosystems, and in particular for the River Chew catchment, comes from adjacent land use. Alongside many areas of the stream, surrounding land is used for pasture and crop production. In some areas, there are no boundaries as the agricultural land squeezes up close to the water’s edge. This leads to agricultural runoff and silting which smothers the gravels that fish use for spawning and can impact other aquatic life within the freshwater. As access for livestock is unrestricted along some of the riparian zones, vegetation and banks have been disrupted by trampling and excretion. Furthermore, there are areas of overgrown vegetation which prevent macrophytes (aquatic weeds that help the oxidation of water) from colonising. 

The current state of the riparian habitat leaves great potential to restore and connect areas that will not only help struggling species populations but also enhance the ecosystem’s overall resilience. 

The overall objective of this project is to restore sections of the Candlestick Brook and Bathford Brook to improve the ecological health and riparian habitat connectivity of these two key fish spawning sites. Both brooks flow into the River Chew in the Bristol Avon catchment.

The first stage of the project involves conducting habitat and fish spawning surveys and developing landowner engagement. These actions intend to inform the required restoration works and reduce landowners’ impact on the riparian areas. The outcomes of this stage could lead to a combination of the following interventions being implemented by BART, working in partnership with relevant landowners.

Livestock management: such as livestock fencing and creating buffer strips to reduce encroachment along the brooks.

Installation of woody debris into the watercourse: to improve the diversity of waterflow, with the potential to create new wetland areas, in addition to providing habitats and spawning sites for wild migratory fish.

Riparian tree management: designed to achieve more optimal light conditions (targeting a 60:40 ratio) by thinning wooded canopy. A reduction in shading can facilitate macrophyte growth and help create clean riverbed gravels ideal for fish spawning.

Riparian tree planting: to increase shade where the brooks are overexposed to natural light, helping to regulate water temperatures. Additionally, tree planting can eventually help stabilise banks and input woody materials into the watercourse, needed for the development of invertebrate populations.

The main desired outcomes these interventions hope to achieve are:

Improved habitat for migratory fish species, including Atlantic salmon, brook lamprey and European eel

Increased areas for pollinators via establishment of marginal vegetation and macrophytes

Enhanced biodiversity within a region with a growing population with a significant history relating to its river.

Funds raised through the Mossy Earth Membership are covering the initial costs of the project which include equipment and contractor fees for the habitat restoration works, tree management and livestock management as well as staffing, travel and permits costs.

The wider objective of this project is to establish a flagship ‘spawning tributary’ restoration to stimulate public interest and contribute to the Bristol Avon Fish Recovery Strategy. Produced by the Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership, this is a guide for collective action to sustain fish populations by embedding the value of rivers in decision-making across spatial planning, public health and economic development, with an ultimate aim of generating learning and information sharing across stakeholder groups. To add to this, the Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership also seeks to improve access for fish moving into and within the River Chew by working in partnership with local authorities, water companies, the Environment Agency and other NGOs. This focuses on improving fish passage by removing barriers to fish movement, such as weir removal and installing fish passes where removal is not feasible.

Freshwater ecologists from BART will conduct the habitat and fish spawning surveys, including salmonid spawning surveys and redd counts. The River Corridor Survey will be done at the start of the project and repeated 1-2 years after the project’s completion. 

Various other methods of monitoring will be applied, including site visits to check on the health of new trees, capturing ‘before and after’ imagery of the habitat and on-site discussions with landowners. Long-term monitoring will involve the community in the way of citizen science where volunteers will monitor riverflies as indicators of water and habitat quality.

Areas of the watercourse have a variety of vegetation while others are bare and exposed to livestock.

Different views of River Chew's riparian zone 

Our Projects

Reforestation

Rewilding

Safeguarding the Lesser Blind Mole Rat

Reforesting Iceland

Ant-Assisted Bowé Restoration

Restoring Wetlands

Restoring Ancient Wetlands

Restoring Fish Spawning Tributaries and Riparian Habitat