On the 16th of September 2025, partners of the Peat Pals for LIFE project met in Oudsbergen (Belgium), at the Landgoed De Hoogmolen for the second monitor visit of the project.

LIFE PeatPals project partners with flags at the Valley of the Aabeek

During the morning, the financial and technical overviews were delivered by each project partner. Followed by a question-and-answer session led by the project’s monitor on behalf of ELMEN, during which partners had the chance to clarify certain tasks or elements of the project. After lunch, participants were able to visit two project sites at the Valley of the Abeek, managed by Natuurpunt and their volunteers.

The first site we visited had been restored during LIFE Abeek, a previous LIFE project in the area running from 2010-2014. This open peatland-landscape was adjacent to the Abeek creek, allowing the close interaction between the site and the creek to create the waterlogged conditions for peatland habitats to sustainably establish and house specialized species like marsh cinquefoil (Comarum palustre, see picture below). Adjacent to this site, Peat Pals for LIFE will restore additional peatlands with a similar approach. This location is crucial to the valley as it is one of the most important seepage points in the area, containing populations of seepage-dependent species like the rare opposite-leaved golden-saxifrage (Chrysosplenium oppositifolium).

A population of Marsh-cinquefoil terrestrializing an open-water body into a quacking bog on the first Peat Pals site

At the second site, the partners visited some of the most pristine Molinia meadows of the valley of the Abeek. Here, the local volunteers and the Natuurpunt project coordinator of the Peat Pals for LIFE project discussed with the partners how the restoration of more peatlands in the area will increase the resilience of the local peatlands as well as the ecosystem as a whole. However, nature restoration comes with its own challenges. Therefore, partners shared their insights and experience on how to tackle challenges, like desiccation and eutrophication, as peatland ecosystems are very sensitive to such forms of perturbation.

Partners discussing the local restoration plan and challenges at the second Peat Pals site

Natuurpunt invited the project partners to the local farm for a technical stop. This farm stored some of Natuurpunt’s adapted equipment for working on water-logged soils. An important part of the restoration is discussing the use of correct materials/equipment. The illustrated materials allow Natuurpunt to mitigate potential adverse effects of nature restoration, e.g. soil compaction on peaty soils, as much as possible.

Adapted equipment used by Natuurpunt for mitigating the adverse effects of restoration while working on water-logged soils

This second monitor visit -albeit short and packed- was a great opportunity for both the project’s monitor and the Peat Pals for LIFE-project partners to catch-up about the progress of the project, visit some sites and to look to the future. A huge thank you to Natuurpunt for the organization!

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Monitor visit to the Valley of the Abeek