Paludiculture - wet agriculture on peatlands

Agriculture on wetlands is a challenge: land machines sink into the swamp, only special plants can be cultivated. But it is worth to face this challenge: climate, farmers and nature will profit from wet agriculture. Drained peatlands are emitting a high amount of climate-damaging CO₂. By rewetting those peatlands, emissions can be reduced significantly. And biomass of plants growing on peatlands like reed, bulrush, and reed canary grass is increasingly demanded for producing bioenergy and ecological building materials.

Paludiculture includes traditional methods of peatland cultivation (reed mowing, mulch utilization), but also new methods like energetic utilization of peatland biomass or production of insulating boards and plasters. Peat preservation remains the most important goal in wet agriculture, because peat stores big amounts of carbon. Additional peat accumulation is also possible with paludiculture, for example by utilizing reeds, where above ground biomass is skimmed while biomass below ground can accumulate new peat.

Opportunities of paludicultue ("palus" - lat. "swamp, mire") are currently explored at the University of Greifswald and in projects of the Michael Succow Foundation. This includes also the development of special technology, such as converting snowcats into harvesters. The EU currently finances a project to develop pilot locations for paludiculture in Belarus, where the Michael Succow Foundation and its partners from science and local economy are testing agriculture on wet peatlands for biomass production.

Sustainable use of peatlands represents an important aspect of all our peatland projects: in Brandenburg/Germany, Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. In many cases it provides new economic perspectives for local inhabitants and thus preserves both the cultural landscape of a region and biodiversity in peatland ecosystems.