IMCG 2014 Field Symposium, Congress and General Assembly
Belarus, July 13-27, 2014.

The IMCG 2014 Field Symposium, Congress and General Assembly will be held in Belarus from July 13 to July 27. We will make a round-tour through the entire country and visit the most important mire and peatlands, with many new developments and interesting discussions.

Venue: Belarus

Belarus is an important peatland country (some etymologists even argue that the “bel-“ of Belarus means “peatland”). With a total peatland area of 22,352 km² Belarus ranks 15^th among all countries of the world. Half of the peatlands are drained and used for agriculture, peat extraction and forestry, leading to peatland emissions of more than 40 Mt CO² year^-1, making Belarus the 8^th most important peatland carbon emitting country in the world. The other half of the peatlands is still in good condition.

Belarus is a fascinating country, because it allows, as one of the few countries in the temperate zone, to see almost side-by-side:

• impressive extensive natural peatlands with high botanical and faunistical biodiversity,
• strongly degraded peatlands, where large scale peat extraction (e.g. for fuel) and peatland agriculture are taking place
• large rewetted and restored peatlands, where emissions are substantially reduced and mire diversity is regenerating.

Theme: New concepts of peatland management, restoration and financing

Belarus is furthermore a global frontrunner in the development and application of new concepts of peatland management, restoration and its financing. These include, for example, carbon credits from peatland rewetting (both under the Kyoto Protocol and for the voluntary market) and paludicultures, the economic use of wet peatlands. Paludicultures are implemented as an economically feasible option for the necessary management of slightly degraded fen peatlands with global biodiversity values and – in case of rewetted peatland - to provide new sustainable economic perspectives for the rural area, e.g. by replacing peat fuel by biomass fuel.

The excursion will visit the key places and will allow intensive exchange with the persons and organisations that bring these things forward.

Registration

The Field Symposium will for logistical reasons be limited to 50 persons, so register (with the registration form) as soon as possible. For people who register AFTER JUNE 12, PARTICIPATION CAN NOT BE GUARANTEED!
For registration contact the IMCG secretariat.

The costs for the total trip will be € 850 for IMCG members. Early registration is necessary to secure the very limited cheap and decent accommodation. To limit costs, participants will be lodged in 2-3 persons rooms.

Payment and Visa

Payments (incl. all bank transfer costs) should be made in advance by bank transfer to:
IMCG, Crédit Coopératif Besançon, France
BIC (= swift): CCOPFRPPXXX
IBAN: FR76 4255 9000 8341 0200 1467 743
With specification of the participating person

Participants, who need an invitation for Belarus to acquire a visa please contact Viktar Fenchuk: imcg(at)ptushki(dot)org

Itinerary

The trip will start in Lida in the Northwest of Belarus and end in the famous Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, one of the oldest peatland reserves in this part of the world. In Berezinsky also the two-days scientific congress will be held (submit title and abstract for your oral presentation or poster!) followed by a half day IMCG General Assembly (only for members). After the General Assembly transfer will be organized to Minsk (or Vilnius if required).

With respect to the arrival: next to Minsk, a very good option for people coming by plane is to travel via Vilnius. Vilnius is an important regional hub and the starting point of the excursion is only 60 km from Vilnius away. We can help with advising transport between Vilnius and Lida or – in case of demand - organize a shuttle (price not included in field symposium fee).

For all questions contact Hans Joosten (joosten(at)uni-greifswald(dot)de) or Viktar Fenchuk (imcg(at)ptushki(dot)org).

Note: Participants, who need an invitation for Belarus to acquire a visa please contact Viktar Fenchuk: imcg(at)ptushki(dot)org

The preliminary programme looks as follows

July 13

Arrival in Minsk or Vilnius, transfer to Lida (3 hrs, 180 km from Minsk; 2 hrs, 60 km from Vilnius). Evening: opening dinner
Overnight in Lida

July 14

Bartenikha - restored fen/transitional mire after peat extraction, former GHG measuring site, estimation of GHG fluxes.
Overnight in Lida

July 15

Dokudovskoje rewetted fen

• Rewetted peat extraction site
• Wetland energy project (EU Aid programme): Paludiculture site and Lida peat factory : new pellet line for fen biomass pellets under construction

Dokudovskoje raised bog

• conservation of natural part by stopping draining effect of nearby peat extraction. The mire is scheduled for further peat extraction
• discussion on chances for the raised bog to remain functional.

Transfer to Belavezhskaja pushcha (3 hrs, 160 km).
Overnight in Belavezhskaja pushcha

July 16

Belavezskaja pushcha

• Dikoje mire - Natural fen /transitional mire, Aquatic warbler breeding site. Waterdivide between Black and Baltic Sea. Problems and conservation measures taken
• Diki Nikor- Drained fen mire –, potential peatland restoration site. Estimating GHG balance

Overnight in Belavezhskaja pushcha

July 17

Zvaniec - largest natural fen mire in Belarus. Aquatic warbler breeding site. Presentation of hydrological model. Discussion on the problems with overgrowth with reeds and shrub encroachment. Climate East project on vegetation management and biomass utilisation.
Transfer to Sporava (2 hrs) Overnight in Beloozersk (Sporava)

July 18

Sporava – fen mire.

• Conservation and habitat management of Aquatic warbler breeding site.
• Wetland Energy project on harvesting reeds (technology efficiency/ecological impact), effects of harvesting reeds by Ratrak (snowcat based harvestor).
• Summarizing field trip so far and discussion on conservation issues raised on trip.

Transfer to Pinsk. Overnight in/near Pinsk.

July 19

Pinsk, boat trip along Pripiat river – stop on the way and visiting small fen mires (overgrowing) in Pripiat floodplain
3 more hours drive Overnight in Soligorsk

July 20

Long drive “south-north” – 240 km, 6 hours to Berezinsky.
On the way (options):

• Grichino Starobinskoje: Largest fen restoration site in Belarus. Presentation on restoration approaches, problems
• Minsk city: sight seeing from bus
• Tsna: peat extraction site and briquette factory

Overnight in Berezinsky

July 21

Kozjany mire – largest and most natural complex of raised bogs, wet forests and transitional mires in Belarus
Overnight in Berezinsky

July 22

Yelnia mire – largest bog in Belarus, approaches to conservation and restoration.
Overnight in Berezinsky

July 23

Berezinsky - excursions
Overnight in Berezinsky

July 24

Rosnanskoje (Berezinsky): patterned bog, spring mire and percolation fen
Overnight in Berezinsky

July 25

IMCG Congress
Overnight in Berezinsky

July 26

IMCG Congress
Overnight in Berezinsky

July 27

General Assembly
Afternoon: transport to Minsk or Vilnius