Context

Rising temperatures and climate change-induced changes in habitat conditions will force cold-adapted species to shift their location. Glacial relict remnants rely heavily on wetland habitat connectivity to move to higher elevations. Therefore, the bog and marsh habitats of the Allgäu region, may offer a chance of survival for these climate-sensitive species. In fact, the Allgäu region, which is part of the Bavarian Alpine foreland, is home to one of the most important areas of high altitude wetlands, as well as a great diversity of heathland types among those existing in the young moraine landscape and at different altitude levels. Conservation of these moor landscapes has a significant effect on reducing the impacts of climate change and maintaining ecosystem services such as climate regulation.

The initiative

The "Allgäuer Moorallianz" is an initiative founded in 2007 to promote the protection of moor in the Allgäu region. The overall goal of this initiative is to counteract the loss of biodiversity by protecting and restoring the Allgäu mire landscape. The options and measures implemented within the framework of the Moorallianz are good examples of integration between nature conservation, landscape management, adaptation to climate change and regional economic development. Indeed, the creation of appropriate economic conditions for regional actors is indispensable for a long-term conservation approach. The initiative also aims at maintaining ecosystem services under changing climatic conditions as well as strengthening the resilience of threatened bog and fen habitats and associated species. "Allgäuer Moorallianz" is mainly financed by a large-scale nature conservation project (2009-2022) within the funding program chance.natur.

Results, limits and enable factors

The conservation activities of the "Allgäuer Moorallianz" contribute to the sustainability of the fen and bog habitats that are part of the mire landscape under changing climatic conditions.

In this region, landscape management, education, tourism and awareness-raising measures have been implemented or supported by the "Allgäuer Moorallianz" in order to integrate peatland protection with regional development and tourism.

Different measures have been developed:
 Restoration, maintenance and improvement of bogs and bog woodlands
 Extensive management and keeping of fallow areas open in near-natural open-land habitats and forests
 Restoration and long-term management of extensive grassland
 Conservation of a grassland buffer zone

Until 2022, the Moorallianz will continue to purchase bog habitat areas and will continue its nature conservation actions by introducing new measures. In addition to these measures, the initiative also focuses on environmental awareness and education (e.g. circulating moor exhibition).

Moorallianz also faces difficulties; it has to contact and negotiate with many landowners who have diverging interests. In addition, agricultural intensification, settlement pressure and infrastructure projects lead to land use conflicts.