Connecting with ongoing peatland projects and collaborating on the creation of databases is crucial for the WorldPeatland team to train and validate Earth Observation tools developed within the consortium. Michel Bechtold, KU Leuven, from the WorldPeatland team was invited to participate in the online end-user workshop of the EU-funded Wet Horizons project on the 8th of October 2024.
As a representative of the Earth Observation science community, Bechtold provided valuable input during this interactive event hosted by Wetlands International in partnership with the University of Greifswald and The James Hutton Institute.
The workshop aimed to reconnect with stakeholders, present updates on the Wet Horizons project, and gather feedback on the wetlands and peatlands database. Alexandra Barthelmes of the University of Greifswald introduced updates on the European Wetland Map (EWM v2), which integrates diverse wetland datasets from across Europe. Stakeholders raised questions about metadata transparency, drainage network data, and the challenges of harmonizing national datasets to meet diverse user needs.
Rebekka Artz and Alessandro Gimona from The James Hutton Institute demonstrated a prototype app for visualizing wetland data and assessing restoration potential. While the app’s prioritization tool was praised, attendees highlighted the need for enhanced usability, user guides, and accessible language.
In breakout discussions, the database and app were commended for their potential in policy reporting and data harmonization. Feedback from WorldPeatland enriched discussions on data transparency and scalability. The event highlighted the importance of refining tools and ensuring public data availability as Wet Horizons prepares for its final user engagement in September 2025. With the availability of these new databases, future products from the WorldPeatland team will become more reliable, further enhancing Earth Observation tools for peatland research and management.
