Restoration a priority

Rusasetvatn Lake in Ørland municipality in Trøndelag before its restoration. The lake was dried up for several decades after adjacent waterworks were abandoned in 1981. Photo: Ørland Wetlands Visitor Centre

Rusasetvatn Lake after restoration. Restoration of this lake is one of Norway’s biggest ever habitat restoration projects. Photo: Ørland Wetlands Visitor Centre

Restoration of the Hjerkinn artillery range in Dovrefjell. Before restoration, a road extended far into the mountains. Photo: Dagmar Hagen/NINA/Forsvarsbygg

Hjerkinn after restoration. The road has been removed and natural habitats restored to the area. Photo: Dagmar Hagen/NINA/Forsvarsbygg

The conservation of intact habitats is the most important intervention we can make, but in areas where wetlands are already damaged, we can also take action to restore them. Wetland restoration is all about returning habitats damaged by humans back to their natural state. For example, we can raise water levels by blocking ditches used to drain wetlands, or remove planted trees to create space for native species.

UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

The United Nations (UN) has designated 2021-2030 as a global decade for the restoration of ecosystems. It is no longer enough simply to protect intact habitats. We must also restore damaged ecosystems to their natural state. A goal of the UN initiative is to put restoration on the global agenda – to boost awareness, political will and knowledge about ecosystem restoration.

Halting the degradation of global wetlands requires international cooperation.
Photo: Malgorzata Hauge

What action is Norway taking?

As well as following up on the global strategy mapped out by the UN, Norway has set national targets related to its wetlands. By 2030, 15% of all damaged ecosystems will be restored. Development on wetland sites will be slowed down and their ecological condition improved. Twenty million kroner was set aside in the 2022 national budget for peat bog restoration, and many major restoration projects in Rogaland are either completed or in progress.

The Ødegårdsmåsan peat bog in Oslo municipality was restored in 2019 by blocking drainage ditches and raising groundwater levels.
Photo: Norwegian Nature Inspectorate/Norwegian Environment Agency