Moor protection in the Allgäu region (Germany) through a stakeholder-based approach

The Allgäu region (Bavarian Alpine foreland) hosts a diverse mosaic of bog and fen habitats across different elevations, important for cold-adapted, glacial-relict species. Climate projections point to a ~3.2°C mean temperature rise by 2071-2100 (RCP8.5) and up to 57 more growing-season days, raising plant water demand and stressing moor water balance.

Founded in 2007, the 'Allgäuer Moorallianz' initiative aims to counter biodiversity loss by protecting and restoring the Allgäu mire landscape while building stable cooperation between nature conservation, agriculture, forestry and tourism stakeholders, maintaining ecosystem services such as climate regulation and habitat connectivity.

Backed mainly by the German 'chance.natur' large-scale nature conservation project (2009-2022) covering over 185,000 ha across two districts, the initiative produced a development plan (PEPL) mapping priority habitats, then purchased around 180 ha of bog area (2012-2017) for hydrological restoration (e.g. damming 12 km of drainage ditches at the Seemoos bog), extensive land management, and ran a 'Moor campaign' of exhibitions and school education.

The chance.natur project had a total budget of about EUR 9.4 million (75% federal, 15% Bavarian state, 10% project supporters), plus an associated EUR 1.4 million rural-development project (2009-2016). Further funding comes from Bavarian landscape-maintenance programmes and the KLIP 2050 Bavarian Climate Protection Programme.

Key success factors were cross-sector cooperation, long-term land-purchase strategy, and awareness-raising. Highly fragmented land ownership (moor parcels averaging ~0.15 ha per owner) and land-use conflicts from agricultural intensification and infrastructure pressure are cited as ongoing challenges, alongside the need for continued effort beyond the project's 2022 end date.