Wetlands in Switzerland in poor condition

Wetlands in Switzerland are in poor condition Keystone-SDA

Swiss moors and floodplains are in a poor state. Researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) emphasised in a new report that further efforts are needed to preserve these biotopes in the long term.

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A number of habitats are particularly important for Swiss biodiversity, explained the WSL in a press release accompanying the report on Tuesday. These include floodplains, raised bogs and fens, dry meadows and pastures and amphibian spawning grounds.

They are home to numerous typical and endangered animal and plant species that have become rare in Switzerland’s intensively utilised landscape. These so-called biotopes of national importance – the most valuable protected areas in Switzerland – are protected accordingly. The WSL analyses how they are developing on behalf of the federal government.

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Positive and negative developments

There have been positive and negative developments in all five biotopes analysed since 2019. The protection measures are showing initial success, for example in dry meadows, where typical and endangered plant species are increasing. Populations have also stabilised in amphibian spawning areas.

The trend in wet habitats such as moors and floodplains is much worse. Raised bogs continue to dry out, habitat specialists are disappearing and their area has shrunk by 6.5%. In floodplains, invasive species are on the increase and natural processes such as flooding are declining.

According to the WSL, additional efforts are needed to preserve biotopes of national importance in the long term, especially in the face of climate change. These include further renaturalisation.

Translated from German by DeepL/ts

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