Background Lower Saxony takes a lead nationally in the conservation of raised bogs, as 95% of all bogs in the Atlantic area are located in this German region. In Lower Saxony’s network of Natura 2000 sites, significant areas of raised bog habitats are found in the Helstorfer, Otternhagener and Schwarzes Moor bogs, as well as in the Bissendorfer Moor bog. Despite their current poor (but still reversible) status, mainly caused by drainage, these sites rank at the top of the list of near-natural raised bogs in the county. In particular, the original surface of the Bissendorfer Moor bog is still preserved in some areas and is therefore considered the most near-natural raised bog in Lower Saxony. Objectives The project’s overall objective is to preserve, improve and/or bring to favorable conservation status, the habitats and species of the Lower Saxony Natura 2000 raised bog sites of Helstorfer, Otternhagener, Schwarzes and Bissendorfer Moor. The total size of the project area is 2 243 hectares. p>The project will, in particular, target the following rare or endangered habitats listed in the annexes of the EU Habitats Directive: bog woodland; active raised bogs; transition mires and quaking bogs; degraded raised bogs still capable of natural regeneration; lowland hay meadows; and old acidophilous oak woods with Quercus robur on sandy plains./p> Moreover, more than 330 endangered animal and plant species found within the project area will also benefit from the planned actions. Some of the indicator species include: crane (Grus grus), curlew (Numenius arquata), green sandpiper (Tringa ochropus), teal (Anas crecca), nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus), hobby (Falco subbuteo), corncrake (Crex crex), lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), whinchat (Saxicola rubetra), stonechat (Saxicola rubicola), moor frog (Rana arvalis) or cranberry blue Butterfly (Vacciniina optilete). Specific objectives include: Improving the hydrological balance in the bogs, in order to promote active, treeless raised bogs and transition mires (c. 500 ha) and Sphagnum-rich bog woodlands (c. 1 000 ha); Initial restoration and large-scale development of areas of bog and bog woodland in rewetted core areas and their surroundings; Conservation and development of typical vegetation through repression of non-native and invasive plant species, especially Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera), cultivated blueberries and spruce; Development of a buffer zone of species-rich grasslands at the periphery of the project area, which will also serve as a habitat and part habitat for endangered animal and plant species. As a result of the rewetting, the release of carbon dioxide through peat mineralisation will be considerably decreased (by > 2 700 t CO2 equivalent/year), thereby also contributing significantly to climate protection. Expected results: The purchase of 1 403 ha of privately-owned land; Contracts covering changes in the use of land and the redemption of usage rights of 4.5 ha of privately-owned land; A rise in the water levels in the peat body of c. 1 500 ha of land; An increase in the area of raised bogs and transition mires naturally free of forests by c. 417 ha; An improvement in the conservation status of existing raised bogs and transition mires naturally free of forests in an area of c. 73 ha; An increase in the size of the bog woodland areas by c. 169 ha; An improvement of the conservation status of existing bog woodlands in an area of c. 1 104 ha; The creation and conservation of bog habitats that are not used by humans and are free of maintenance in an area comprising 1 775 ha (no, or minimal, human intervention, wilderness area); The removal or repression of trees, shrubs and cultivated blueberries in an area comprising c. 100 ha; The removal or repression of non-native trees and shrubs, as well as invasive exotic herbs, from the bog (c. 0.125 ha) and bog periphery (c. 1.8 ha); The stabilisation of populations of endangered animal and plant species; e.g. large white-faced darter, crane, curlew, etc; The transformation of 11 ha of arable land into extensively farmed grassland and to extend the grassland on 65 ha after land purchase; Optimisation of grassland maintenance in an area comprising c. 83 ha of land owned by public bodies.