Background

The Lomme river basin is located in the Libin high plateau in the centre of the Ardennes in the Walloon region of Belgium. The Libin plateau is located between the Saint-Hubert and Croix-Scaille plateaux, both of which have benefited from LIFE restoration projects. The Lomme river basin is made up of a network of peaty and wetland habitats included in the Habitats Directive: sphagnum birch woods, alder woods, bogs, heathlands, transition mires, tall-herb communities of humid meadows, watercourse fringes and associated habitats such as dry heaths, mountain hay meadows and Nardus strica pastures. The peat bogs shelter rare species such as Boloria aquilonaris, Somatochlora arctica, Dactylorhiza sphagnicola, and Erica tetralix. This area is designated as a Special Area of Conservation, but the habitats and associated species are threatened by habitat fragmentation as a result of spruce plantation, drying of soils and purple moor grass recolonisation. In addition, forestry production is causing a lot of problems in relation to soil structure, water quality, and biodiversity.
Objectives

The LIFE LOMME project aims to restore 230 ha of peaty and wetland habitats. This will involve purchasing 40 ha and making compensation payments to land-owners so that they definitively abandon forest production on a further 120 ha. The spuce pine plantations on 100 ha will be cut and selective cutting and clearing will be carried out on a further 70 ha. The hydrology of the different sites will be restored by blocking 20 km of drains, digging some 40 ponds, building 1 km of dikes and 10 culverts. In addition some 20 ha of deciduous forest will be restored by means of fenced exclosures.

The long-term management of the restored areas will be assured by putting in place the necessary procedures, material and infrastructure for regular mowing, cutting, grazing and coppicing with the help of local farmers.

The project will contribute to restoring the connectivity between sites and between the different high plateaux in the Ardennes, as well raising awareness among local communities and stakeholders as to the wider value of these restored areas. A wide range of other endangered species and habitats will also benefit from these comprehensive restoration actions.