Iceland’s peatlands have been under pressure for decades - now a major project is being launched to protect them.
Every year thousands of wading birds, including Redshanks, Dunlins and Black-tailed Godwits, migrate to the UK from breeding grounds in Iceland to spend the winter with us. But those breeding grounds have been facing major challenges. Now a new EU-funded project has been launched, with RSPB amongst its partners, to help protect and restore this vitally important habitat.
Gaze out over a muddy stretch of coast or estuary in the UK in winter and you’ve got a good chance of spotting the slim bills, long legs, and elegant walks of some wonderful wading birds. But did you know that many of these birds, including most of the Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits you might see, were born hundreds of miles away in Iceland? Every year they escape the harsh northern winter and fly south to enjoy our more temperate climate.
So if we want to protect these wonderful shared birds, and keep them coming back to our shores each year, we have to help protect their Icelandic breeding grounds.
In summer, Iceland’s lowland wetlands are home to a staggering 61% of the world’s breeding Eurasian Golden Plovers, 27% of the world’s Whimbrels, and 12% of all breeding Redshanks.
The country's mosaic of wetland pools and grassy tussocks doesn’t just provide brilliant conditions for breeding waders, many of which have a special place in Iceland folklore. The peat soils that make up this habitat also store vast quantities of carbon so protecting it has to be a major priority, both for nature conservation and in our fight against the climate crisis.
Unfortunately, this precious habitat has been severely impacted by drainage projects undertaken on a massive scale to convert the land for agricultural use. Much of this land was not used for farming and now lies abandoned. It is estimated that over 70% of Iceland’s lowland wetlands have been affected by the 34,000km of ditches and channels that criss-cross these landscapes. By drying out the wetlands, wading birds lose key food sources and breeding habitat while the peatlands’ precious carbon stores begin to escape.
In addition, some wetland areas continue to be drained in order to plant non-native trees as part of carbon finance projects, while energy and residential developments also pose a risk.
So now the RSPB has joined forces with a group of Icelandic environmental and research organisations, including Fuglavernd – our fellow BirdLife partner. Together, these organisations have launched an ambitious project to protect, restore and promote the value of these internationally-important peatlands.
Running until February 2031, the €8-million Peatland LIFEline project brings together seven organisations into a powerful partnership for peatland protection. Led by the Agricultural University of Iceland and funded by the European Union’s LIFE programme, the project will combine active habitat restoration work with research, advocacy and engagement efforts to support future peatland restoration across the country.
The project is a fantastic opportunity for us to raise awareness around the importance of wetlands and to demonstrate the value of wetland restoration.”
A key aspect of the project will focus on pioneering science-led, sustainable approaches for protecting and restoring this unique habitat as well as developing a framework for monitoring peatland health. Linked to this will be extensive work with farmers and local communities, alongside the development of a carbon code for peatland restoration and a national roadmap, so that lessons from the project can be applied across Iceland and further afield.
As well as providing advice and support based on our own work to restore peatlands in the UK, the RSPB will lead on implementing a networking plan so that project lessons and results can be shared as widely as possible with the international conservation community.
The project has already begun engaging Icelanders on the importance of peatlands – even in helping to design the project’s logo! A competition to design the logo was recently held, with the winning entry, created by university student Gunnar Karl Thoroddsen, chosen by a jury including renowned Icelandic artist Eggert Pétursson.
The competition saw university students drawing inspiration both from Iceland’s peatlands as well as bird drawings by Icelandic schoolchildren. Gunnar’s design took inspiration from a drawing by Marey Ólafía Kristinsdóttir (aged six), who was also honoured at the recent logo unveiling ceremony in Reykjavik.
A key aim of the Peatland LIFEline project is to share the story of Iceland’s peatlands with the world and celebrate their importance on the world stage. And you can help! Click the links below to share this article and help spread the word about this vital habitat where many of our best-loved wading birds are born!
We look forward to bringing you more updates as the project progresses.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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