News/All pieces

What EU CAP means for paludiculture

Supportive but not yet fully

17/04/2026  The current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023–2027 of the European Union channels €387 billion through national CAP Strategic Plans across the Member States. It creates more opportunities than previous funding periods for peatland protection, rewetting and paludiculture, as a new report issued within the project Paludi4all shows. However, the extent to which these opportunities can be realised in practice, still depends on how Member States reflect the CAP framework in their national strategic plans.

For the first time, the current CAP creates a clearer framework for peatland and paludiculture. It sets a minimum protection standard for peatland and wetland protection, addresses eligibility for direct payments and opens the door for eco-schemes to support paludiculture and peatland rewetting. Beyond this, the CAP toolbox offers further opportunities to advance paludiculture through agri-environment-climate schemes, investment support, cooperation, advice and training.

Direct payment eligibility remains a key challenge for paludiculture. Important paludiculture crops such as reed, cattail and sphagnum moss are still classified as non-agricultural products, and so far only six of the 27 Member States have implemented the new derogation rule that can maintain payment eligibility. Wet grassland paludiculture may still qualify as permanent grassland, but this status can be lost if non-fodder plants become dominant. For farmers and land managers, this creates ongoing uncertainty when considering a transition to paludiculture.

The report estimates, that, even so, the current CAP is becoming more supportive for peatlands and paludiculture, countries including Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom already provide useful examples. They already show, how different national instruments and policy approaches can work together within and beyond the CAP. Looking ahead, a policy mix could help support the transition. This would include positive incentives for paludiculture and peatland ecosystem services, while gradually phasing out support for drainage-based peatland use. Additional instruments, such as a CO₂ tax, could also help to improve planning security in the long-term.

The new Palu Directive

1.75 bn earmarked for peatland climate protection

17/04/2026  Long awaited and published today, the Federal Environment Ministry’s Palu Directive now provides clarity on funding for rewetting and sustainable peatland management. As part of the Natural Climate Protection Action Programme, it is set to promote peatland conservation measures across the country in agriculturally used peatlands over the coming years. A total of €1.75 billion has been earmarked for this purpose. According to the Greifswald Mire Centre, the programme thus offers, for the first time, a genuine opportunity for a breakthrough in scaled-up peatland climate protection in Germany. More detailed information can be found in the Ministry of the Environment’s press release and an assessments in the GMC press release.

Experience MoorPower

Peatland PV at Energy Day MV

14/04/2026  How can climate protection, renewable energy and regional economic growth on peatlands be effectively combined? The MoorPower project will provide answers at the EnergieTag MV, right on site. On 25 April 2026, from 11:00 to 14:00, researchers from University of Greifswald, partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre, invite you to an information event in a peatland near Rostock. The meeting point is Bio-Rind Wellen GmbH in Spoitgendorf (near Plaaz, A19).

A planned peatland photovoltaic plant will be presented on site, which combines solar energy with rewetting, thereby delivering a double climate benefit. The MoorPower project is investigating the technical, ecological and socio-economic effects of this approach over a three-year period. Weatherproof clothing and rubber boots or sturdy footwear are recommended for walking on the site. Further information about the event can be found here: https://www.energietag-mv.de/aktion/wie-sich-klimaschutz-erneuerbare-energien-und-regionale-wertschoepfung-verbinden-lassen-informationsveranstaltung-zu-moor-pv/

Just dropped:

Paludiculture Newsletter 1|2026

14/04/2026 Here are the latest topics in the latest issue of the Paludiculture Newsletter:

• Paludiculture projects – who is doing what where in Germany? A study has compiled 146 projects from the past 25 years to provide an overview

• Water buffalo for peatlands – 70 interested participants gathered at a workshop on water buffalo husbandry on wetland areas in Brandenburg

• Towering insights for paludiculture – Dr. Christian Brümmer explains why there will soon be many more greenhouse gas measurements on wetlands in our interview

• Until 2045 – what should peatland climate protection look like until and after Germany’s target year for climate neutrality? A workshop report

Plus more topics and current dates in the event calendar.

We enjoy staying in touch with our readers. What topics would you like to see covered in the paludiculture newsletter? What feedback do you have for us? Feel free to email us at communication@greifswaldmoor.de.

A Year in Peatlands

Excursion to the Bargischow Polderser

11/04/2026  The ‘A Year in Peatlands’ excursion series explores different peatland sites each month – ranging from near-natural areas to those under active use, as well as degraded and rewetted sites. On-site experts provide insights into biodiversity, land-use history, climate protection and restoration.

The next excursion takes place on 25th April 2026 from 10:00 to 12:30 at the Bargischow South Polder. The meeting point is at the pumping station in Bargischow. The route covers approximately four kilometres on foot along roads and gravel paths.

On site, the wet management of a rewetted fen with active water management will be presented. The aim is to demonstrate that site-specific use of peatlands is compatible with the requirements of bird, nature and climate protection and can also be implemented on a large scale.

The excursion will be led by Anke Nordt (University of Greifswald). Participation is free of charge and open to all interested parties. Weatherproof clothing and sturdy footwear are recommended.

Further information is available online: A Year in Peatlands

Peatlands in British Columbia

Carbon Giants hidden below Rainforests

10/04/2026  Old-growth rainforests are famous for their massive carbon stocks – but what about the peatlands hidden within these rainforest ecosystems? A new study by researchers from the Greifswald Moor Centrum now provides valuable insights from the peatlands of the temperate rainforests of Canada’s Pacific coast.

As part of an expedition, Hanna Rae Martens and Jürgen Kreyling, together with the organization Wilderness International, investigated protected areas in British Columbia. The aim was to analyse the distribution of peatlands and their contribution to carbon storage within these rainforest landscapes.

The newly published results show that although peatlands cover only around five percent of the studied region – likely an underestimate – they store about 20 percent of the total carbon in these ecosystems. This means they make a disproportionately large contribution to climate mitigation.

The study highlights the importance of these previously overlooked ecosystems and opens up new perspectives for research and conservation. Further studies will aim to better quantify the carbon storage potential of these peatlands.

The publication is available at: DOI 10.1038/s41598-026-44791-z

Paludiculture – who, what, where?

New study analyses 146 projects in Germany

27/03/2026  The new GMC paper ‘The Development of the Paludiculture Project Landscape – An Overview and Analysis in Germany’ (German only) shows: Of the total of 146 projects examined from the past 25 years, the first initiatives began as early as the 1990s – even before the term ‘paludiculture’ was coined in 1998. However, more than 75% of all projects have been implemented within the last ten years, which underlines the growing importance of the topic.
Most projects are located in the federal states with extensive peatlands. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (44 projects) and Lower Saxony (41 projects) top the list. The range of topics is broad: particularly between 1995 and 2010, the focus was on crop production and utilisation. Business management aspects were mostly examined as a secondary consideration, whilst issues relating to planning and approval have so far been under-represented.
Many projects concentrate on specific land-use and utilisation options – such as sphagnum moss and cattails for substrate production, or cattails and reeds as building materials. At the same time, there are numerous projects dealing with a wide range of potential uses.
Many projects focus on specific land-use and utilization options — such as sphagnum moss and cattails for substrate production, or cattails and reeds as building materials. At the same time, there are numerous projects that explore a wide range of potential uses.
In addition to the publication in the GMC series, the complete list of 146 projects is available for download as an open Excel file for further work. Interested parties can also contact the authors with suggestions for further projects.

Brand new: PaludiBörse online

Search for and find biomass easily

11/03/2025  The new online platform PaludiBörse connects the supply and demand side for biomass from paludiculture. It creates transparency about available raw materials, requirements and regional potential for both sides.

The sustainable use of biomass from rewetted peatlands – i.e. paludiculture – plays a central role in climate and biodiversity protection. At the same time, it is difficult to find suitable partners for marketing or processing in practice. PaludiBörse, created as part of the toMOORow initiative and the PaludiAllianz joint project, helps to close this gap.

Farmers can showcase their available raw materials, while companies can search for specific qualities. The platform facilitates networking, reduces search effort, creates market transparency and facilitates the establishment of regional supply chains. This is a step towards making the wet use of peatlands economically viable and contributing to climate and biodiversity protection.

Leidissoo mire in Estonia

Wet again!

18/02/2026 In December 2025, the final stages of the rewetting of drained parts of the Leidissoo mire complex in north-western Estonia were successfully completed. A film ( United for Peatland Protection: Restoration of Estonia’s Leidissoo Peatland) provides insights into the implementation of the project.

The project, which was launched in 2022, entered the implementation phase in spring 2025 after a comprehensive planning and approval. The restoration measures included closing around 100 kilometres of drainage ditches by constructing more than 500 dams. The aim of the measures is to restore the peatlands natural water balance and thus secure the ecological functions of the ecosystem in the long term, including the positive impact on global climate. Even during implementation on an area of over 800 hectares, initial successes were immediately visible, aided by an exceptionally wet summer.

What happens next?

In spring 2026, after the snow has melted and the spring floods have subsided, the Estonian Forest Management Centre (RMK) will make an initial assessment of the success of the rewetting. This will be followed by long-term monitoring to systematically record the hydrological and ecological development of the rewetted areas.

The Leidissoo mire is situated in a designated nature reserve and plays a central role in the conservation of near-natural mire ecosystems. The rewetting makes a significant contribution to climate change mitigation by reducing CO₂ emissions from drained peat soils.

The protected area comprises three mire complexes – Leidissoo, Sendrisoo and Musa – and combines all types of mires typical for western Estonia: fens, transition mires and raised bogs. It is rich in species and provides a habitat for rare bird and plant species such as golden eagles, white-tailed eagles, capercaillies, bog orchids, heath sedge, and brown beak sedge. Its special value lies in the size of the area and the richness of its bog and forest habitats.

This exemplary project shows that privately funded climate protection projects – such as this one by the Succow Foundation, partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre, PlanBe, HIT Environmental Foundation and RMK – can also make an important contribution to the restoration of ecosystems and achieving European climate protection goals.

Paludiculture – how to?

Online seminar on cultivation and harvesting

14/02/2026  On 26 February 2026, FNR and Greifswald Mire Centre will be offering another webinar in the free online series ‘Peatland Protection and Paludiculture’. From 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., the focus will be on ‘Cultivation and experiences with paludiculture: peat mosses, wet meadows, sedges, cattails’  

Content:

• Cultivation of various paludicultures: e.g. peat mosses, wet meadow biomass

• Technology, maintenance, harvesting – practical examples

• Water control, mechanical cultivation, establishment

• Processing of paludiculture biomass (e.g. MoorFasern)

Also included:

• ‘Sphagnum moss paludiculture: experiences from 20 years of research, development and practice’
  Dr Greta Gaudig, University of Greifswald, MOOSland project coordinator

• ‘Combined climate protection: land use for MoorFasern – MooReturn project’
  Ludwig Bork, farmer and managing director of Agrotherm GmbH

• ‘Experience gained from 20 years of wet cultivation’
  Frank Havemeyer, Managing Director of Niedersächsisches Landvolk Kreisverband Osterholz e.V.

Special features

• Interactive format with room for dialogue and discussion

• Goal: exchange, knowledge transfer and cross-sector cooperation

• Invitation to participants to contribute their own expertise and gain new perspectives