Across North‑West Europe, green‑blue networks (GBNs) are disappearing at an alarming pace. Some regions have already lost more than 90% of their wetlands, while others are facing extensive peatland degradation. These are the ecosystems that filter water, store carbon and sustain biodiversity, yet they are shrinking faster than we currently can protect them.

Wetlanders, a project co-funded by the Interreg North-West Europe programme, brings together 14 organisations from 5 countries to reverse this trend, through shared tools, hands-on restoration and the local partnerships needed to support long‑term stewardship.

Working together to restore Europe’s GBNs

Wetlands face many challenges, such as fragmented ownership, inconsistent governance and shrinking funding. These issues span borders and require solutions that do the same. That’s why Wetlanders connects partners from Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Germany and Ireland, creating a platform for shared expertise on an entirely new scale. Led by the Belgian NGO Natuurpunt, the consortium combines the strengths of research institutes, public authorities, and land managers.

Testing on the ground and developing the GBN tool 

To turn theory into practice, we are implementing 5 pilot actions across diverse landscapes in four countries ranging from lowland river valleys and peatlands to sinkhole lakes and headwater springs. Here, we tackle both abiotic challenges, such as restoring natural water flows, and biotic threats, such as the removal of invasive species and unnatural plantations. The successful restoration methods and solutions tested at these sites will be compiled into the GBN tool. This publicly available digital platform will ensure that the solutions we develop can be easily accessed and replicated by other regions.

Strengthening skills, stewardship and collaboration

The people closest to these landscapes, such as farmers, land managers, local authorities and community groups, are also the ones best placed to protect them. Wetlanders works directly with these groups, building the knowledge and skills needed for ongoing guardianship. A joint strategy and action plan across all five countries ensures that this collective effort achieves more than the sum of its parts.

A crucial part of this plan involves exploring innovative conservation finance models, such as public-private partnerships and ecosystem service credits, ensuring that GBN restoration remains financially viable long after the project ends.

Our why

When GBNs function well, their positive effects are felt far beyond the water's edge: cleaner rivers, more resilient communities and landscapes that can withstand both drought and flooding. Wetlanders demonstrates what successful restoration looks like and creates the conditions for it to happen again elsewhere.

“By connecting people, partners and landscapes, we’re here to restore what these ecosystems have lost.” - Katrien Wijns, project coordinator

Updates and results

We will share regular updates, insights and results as the project progresses. You will also find key news and developments on the Wetlanders Interreg NWE website.

wetlanders.nweurope.eu 

Ballyhoura Development role as a Wetlanders project partner

Ballyhoura Development’s role is to demonstrate the Wetlanders approach in a rural Irish context, combining ecological restoration with strong community engagement, capacity building and coordinated multi-stakeholder collaboration.

The Irish pilot site for the project is Griston Bog, where Ballyhoura Development will undertake a detailed landscape analysis of the site and its surrounding habitats. This will involve testing, adapting and implementing restoration and management measures to enhance biodiversity and improve habitat connectivity.

A key element of Ballyhoura Development’s role is community engagement. Ballyhoura Development will lead on outreach, awareness-raising and training initiatives, working with local communities, landowners and stakeholders to build knowledge and support long-term stewardship of wetlands and surrounding landscapes.

Ballyhoura Development will also contribute to the development of a long-term strategy and action plan, including the exploration of innovative financial mechanisms to ensure the sustainability of restoration efforts beyond the lifetime of the project.

Project funding 

• EU funding: 4,3 million
• Total project budget: 7,2 million

Project duration

Cooperating from 1 January 2026 - 30 June 2029

Partner information

The Wetlanders partnership brings together 14 organisations from Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France and Ireland, combining expertise from research institutes, NGOs, public authorities and land managers across the NWE region.