Cleared heathland moor, with nutrient-poor sandy sites in the foreground © Niels Ribbrock, Biological Station in the District of Recklinghausen
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Project of the month
#03/2025 Small bog in the district of Recklinghausen
Optimization and opening of the area „Wessendorfer Heidemoor”
The area “Wessendorfer Heidemoor” is a legally protected biotope located in a small wooded area in the north of Dorsten and is clearly delimited by a terrain edge. Regarding its condition and floristic composition, the small bog is of outstanding importance in the district of Recklinghausen and is unique, particularly in the area of the town Dorsten. However, as a result of climate change, the entire area is at risk of drying out from time to time and becoming overgrown with bushes due to nutrient inputs, thereby losing the valuable bog characteristics of the protected habitat types.
As part of the LIFE IP Atlantic Region DE, an action to optimize this heathland moor was therefore carried out in cooperation with the Biological Station in the District of Recklinghausen and the Lower Nature Conservation Authority of the District of Recklinghausen from the end of January to the end of February 2025. The entire edge area around the bog, up to above the terrain edge, was cleared. Numerous large pines, chestnut and birch trees as well as willow bushes were removed. Single oaks and beeches at the top of the terrain edge were preserved.
At the western end of the bog, where the trough opens up a little and the terrain only rises slowly, a population of purple moor grass dominated. A transitional area for the development of wet heath (habitat type 4010) to dry heath (habitat type 4030) was created there by removing the topsoil. Due to precipitation-related soil wetness, works were paused between the end of January until mid-February to allow the soil to dry out. Once the clearing works were completed, the rack trails were closed with wooden barriers.
In the future, the heathland moor will have a more stable water supply during periods of low rainfall, providing a favourable habitat for typical bog species.
Related Topics
- Habitat type 7120 – Degraded raised bogs still capable of natural regeneration (in German) (external link opens in a new window)
- Habitat type 7150 – Depressions on peat substrates of the Rhynchosporion (in German) (external link opens in a new window)
- Habitat type 4010 – Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix (in German) (external link opens in a new window)
- Habitat type 4030 – European dry heaths (in German) (external link opens in a new window)