The Lviv Agglomeration hosted the presentation of the project “Restoration of Urban Peatlands in the Lviv Territorial Community and Adjacent Areas for Climate Change Adaptation, Biodiversity Restoration, and Public Benefit.” This initiative is being implemented under the European SpongeWorks program (Horizon Europe).
The project covers a total area of 2,500 hectares, specifically the Northern Peatlands. It aims to create a model for restoring degraded wetland ecosystems, strengthening climate resilience, restoring water balance, and forming natural environments beneficial to both nature and the community.
What Does the Project Entail?
The primary goal is to develop a long-term peatland restoration strategy for the next 5 and 20 years, serving as a roadmap for future practical implementation.
The implementation plan includes:
- Developing a roadmap and a long-term monitoring system.
- Planning rewetting measures for the designated areas.
- Partial dismantling of drainage canals to restore water retention capacity.
- Assessment of soil quality, hydrology, and biodiversity.
- Modeling natural plant communities, seeding, and species transplantation.
- Engaging communities, including students, volunteers, and activists.
This is the first project of such scale in the region. It focuses not only on ecosystem restoration but also on laying the foundation for future development based on the “Sponge City” principle. This is vital for the Lviv Agglomeration, as the peatland area is directly situated between the Lviv, Kulykiv, Novyi Yarychiv, and Murovane communities.
Partnership and Expert Engagement
The presentation brought together key institutions, scientists, and organizations with extensive experience in peatlands and aquatic ecosystems.
Key partners include:
- NGO “Danube-Carpathian Programme”
- NGO “Lviv Ecological and Cultural Association ‘LEF'”
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Lviv City Council
- Special thanks to Oksana Maryskevych from the Institute of Ecology of the Carpathians (NAS of Ukraine) for her preliminary research on the Northern Peatlands.
Participants also included representatives from the Basin Administration of Water Resources of the Western Bug and San Rivers, the Lviv Agglomeration Office of the Lviv City Council, the scientific community, experts, and civic activists. We thank all partners for their expertise and contribution to shaping the project’s future.
About the SpongeWorks Program
SpongeWorks is a European research and innovation project focused on implementing “Sponge City” solutions: water retention, natural cooling of urban areas, biodiversity development, and adaptation to climate change.
Lviv serves as one of the program’s demonstration sites, allowing for the creation of an urban peatland restoration model that can be scaled to other communities across Ukraine in the future.
Next Steps: Strategy and Community Engagement
The presentation marks the official launch. The next phase involves in-depth research, data collection, community consultations, finalizing the roadmap, and preparing technical solutions to restore the wetlands and their ecological functions.
