Life Rehabilitation Ecosystem Tender

Start Date 01092022End Date 31082029Total Eligible Budget 12533436 EU Contribution 7520062 PROJECT DESCRIPTIONBACKGROUNDThe numerous peatbogs of the Jura massif have undergone a large amount of disturbance over the centuries drainage peat extraction etc. which has ultimately led to a lowering of the underlying water tables. As a result these wetland ecosystems have stopped acting as carbon sinks to become sources of carbon dioxide CO2 greenhouse gas emissions thus contributing to climate change. The peatbogs targeted by this project are nowadays subject to relatively little economic exploitation mainly agriculture for those located at the bottom of valleys or on slopes - and forestry. The project area currently under agricultural use is estimated at about 15 of the total whereas the areas under forestry management do not exceed 5. The remaining 80 have no direct economic purpose except for tourism and recreational activities such as hunting and fishing.OBJECTIVESThe overarching objective of the LIFE RestituO project is to reduce greenhouse gas GHG emissions resulting from the degradation of peat bogs in the Jura region of France. The GHG reduction objective ranges from 5.03 to 31.40 teqCO2hayear depending on the initial state of degradation of the rehabilitated peatland. To this aim a consortium of five organisations has been created to carry out hydrological restoration works on 70 degraded sites within the Doubs and Jura areas including drain blocking revegetation of extraction pits stream restoration and other nature-based solutions.