The APB-BirdLife Belarus, one of the oldest Belarusian conservation NGOs, together with other peatland conservation organisations and experts from across the world, have joined up with the United Nations Environment Programme’s Global Peatlands Initiative (GPI).
Peatlands are the world’s largest terrestrial organic carbon stock, and the GPI is dedicated to preserve them and to prevent their carbon being emitted into the atmosphere. The current greenhouse gas emissions from drained or burned peatlands are estimated to amount to up to five percent of the global carbon budget — in the range of two billion tonnes CO2 per year.
The GPI is coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme and is a key initiative for the implementation of the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) which has an ambitious aim to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean.
APB-BirdLife Belarus has been restoring drained peatlands in Belarus since 2007. By now the organization has re-wetted more than 17,200 hectares on its own and more than 9,500 hectares together with partners.
Today, the APB’s peatland restoration work continues in the frame of the project “Polesia – Wilderness Without Borders” and the Bielaviezhskaya Pushcha Conservation Program. In addition, within the project “Developing a practical vision for restoring Belarus’ peatlands”, the APB is creating an entire digital map and a database for all the drained peatlands in Belarus. This work will make it easier to restore them.
Alexandre Vintchevski, CEO of the APB:
“Raised bogs are my favorite habitats. We have been working hard and wholeheartedly in order to preserve them and to restore those of them which suffered, to study their flora and fauna, and to promote peatlands ecotourism. We will continue dedicate our efforts to this.”
In November 2021, conservationists from all over the world gathered together in Glasgow, Scotland, for the United Nations climate change conference, COP26. They shared their experience and plans for preserving peatlands for nature and fighting climate change at the first ever Peatland Pavilion.
Dianna Kopansky, Global Peatlands Coordinator for GPI, says:
“Belarus is rich in peatlands, with many unfortunately degraded. This great work by APB-BirdLife Belarus and their partners is a crucial step in restoring and securing these precious ecosystems for the many species of birds and other biodiversity that depend on them, as well as for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and keeping the remaining carbon they store in the ground.”
