Programme backdrop Action Programme Lower Saxony Moorland Landscapes (NML)

Based on the data of the carbon-rich soils with significance for climate protection and the data of the important bog biotopes, the backdrop of the Lower Saxony bog landscapes depicts the areas where rewetting can lead to a GHG reduction in accordance with the soil properties. The Land of Lower Saxony is provided with the appropriate search room for the control of funding for climate-related peatland protection. Peatland conservation projects in sub-areas of this backdrop are also of particular relevance for the protected assets of water, soil, species, biotopes and the landscape-bound recreation function. The backdrop is therefore the technical basis for nationwide planning and represents the search space for bog management for the implementation of the goals of the Lower Saxony bog landscapes.Carbon-rich soils with significance for climate protectionThe database is an extract from the use-differentiated soil map 1: 50,000 (BK50n) of Lower Saxony. Differentiated use means in this context that a greater differentiation of soil types compared to BK50 was made possible by including use according to ATKIS. This is reflected, among other things, in the response to near-surface horizons, in the derivation of soil types and in the resulting horizon- or profile-related characteristic values. The dataset presents the carbon-rich soils with significance for climate protection according to the current state of knowledge.They are characterized, among other things, by an updated distribution of the bogs and high spatial differentiation of the soil types. The earthing stages in the bogs and the moor reposoles such as mixed sand crops, low bog sand cover crops or spitted soils are identified.Moor soils are particularly dynamic because the organic matter contained in them is unstable and change mainly during drainage and use as well as through cultural-technical measures. Drainage creates an aerobic area in the peat body, which initiates processes such as sacking, peat shrinkage and decomposition and leads to a loss of peat thickness (earthing processes in the peat bog). The existing database can only display these changes with a delay.It should be noted that the database is an overview. It can be used to gain an overview of the carbon-rich soils of Lower Saxony or to identify search rooms. On the other hand, this can not be a basis for area-sharp, local statements, e.g. at plot level.Additional significant peatland biotopesFor the presentation of the peatland biotopes, which are additionally important for nature conservation, the following data bases of the NLWKN were evaluated: Comprehensive biotope mapping in the Habitats Areas (basic survey, current), updated selective country-wide biotope mapping (current), selective country-wide biotope mapping (LBK, 1984-2004).The additional significant bog biotopes are biotope types that are considered as biotope types of organic sites according to the mapping instructions of the mapping key for biotope types in Lower Saxony. They can therefore be identified as a moor biotope type independently of soil data. In addition, the selection was mainly based on levels assigned by Drachenfels to the biotope types. Only peatland biotopes that meet the criterion of a minimum value level of IV to V were included in the selection of additional significant peatland biotopes. The land selection generated in this way was only mapped where references to organic sites according to the database of carbon-rich soils with significance for climate protection (BHK50) are missing in order to supplement the backdrop of the Lower Saxony bog landscapes with these additional important bog biotopes.