A new project video documents partners’ field visit to one of SpongeBoost’s case study areas, offering an inside look at the peatlands and our team’s activities.

In April 2025, SpongeBoost partners gathered in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, for the project’s first Annual General Meeting. On the third day, our team visited key peatland sites in the Xistral Mountains, Galicia. These rare Atlantic peatlands are vital for water regulation and biodiversity. From degraded areas like Veiga do Rial to well-preserved blanket bogs, we observed contrasting conditions that inform restoration and management strategies.

The trip, organised by CIREF, allowed the team to explore one of the project’s key case study sites. There, the SpongeBoost partners met with representatives from the RURALtXA project, a bioeconomy initiative for livestock farmers committed to sustainable management and habitat conservation. The RURALtXA team explained how traditional horse grazing can support conservation efforts. By enhancing the value of these activities and their products, the project helps improve the quality of life for rural stakeholders and acts as a driver of sustainable development in areas facing demographic challenges such as depopulation.