Paludiculture Newsletter 2/2026

Read new issue now

06/07/2026 The Greifswald Mire Centre has published the second issue of the Paludiculture Newsletter this year. Out key topics featured in this edition include:

• Refreshing: Peatlands and Beer

• Dual climate benefit: Peatlands and Solar Power

• Debunking common misconceptions: Interview on mosquitoes and peatlands

Additional materials comprise a new fact sheet examining relationships of peatlands and water resources, information about the current workshop series for professionals an the aftermovie from conference RRR2025 is also accessible online.

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.

The newsletter is provided by the PaludiZentrale project of Thünen Institut, Universität Greifswald and Succow foundation. It is financially supported by the German Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Home Affairs (BMLEH) through the Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR).

First Paludi-Summer School

Peat under their fingernails, fresh ideas in their minds

29/06/2026 For ten days in June, twenty early-career scientists from Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, many from PaludiNet projects, came together for the first Paludiculture Summer School, hosted by the PaludiCentral project, a collaboration between the Thünen Institute and University of Greifswald and Michael Succow Foundation, both partners in the Greifswald Mire Centre.

Beginning in Braunschweig and concluding in Greifswald, the summer school offered a diverse programme covering a spectrum of paludiculture related topics. Participants explored the fundamentals of organic soils, peatland hydrology, biodiversity, greenhouse gas measurements, and the socioeconomic and technical dimensions of paludiculture. Theoretical sessions were complemented by lab visits and field excursions, providing opportunities to deepen one’s own understanding and to put knowledge into practice. Furthermore, the poster session facilitated an in-depth exchange not only amongst the participants, but also with researchers from the Thünen Institute who were taking part in the presentation (link to interviews). Participants left the summer school with peat-stained fingers and with new questions on the placement of Eddy covariance towers and challenges involved in measuring hydraulic conductivity.

The excursions provided the opportunity to visit a range of sites within the PaludiNet network. Highlights included the MOOSland site and witnessing a sphagnum harvest; the RoNNi project, where preparations for Typha planting were underway; the reed plantation of the PaludiMV project; an established Typha cultivation site in Neukalen; several MoMoK (Peatland monitoring program for climate protection) sites; and, finally, a near-natural fen in the Peene Valley, a potential future habitat for aquatic warbler translocation efforts. These visits brought seminar room concepts to life and demonstrated the diversity of approaches currently being developed across the paludiculture landscape.

Learning was balanced with lively discussions, an interview, interactive games, role-playing exercises, and a visit to the peatland library. Participants were also given space to think creatively about the future of paludiculture and share their hopes, dreams, and visions for “Paludi Futures”. Ideas ranged from advances in paludi biomass value chains with magical sorting machines to large-scale immersive paludiculture parks, local infrastructure revolutions, and anchoring paludiculture in our social conscience with the paludi barbie in waders, and seeing peatland futures from the perspective of a dragonfly. In its own small way, the summer school became a first step toward these futures. By bringing together the expertise, curiosity and passion from different universities, organisations, and countries, it created new networks and inspired fresh ideas, questions, and collaborations. Friendships were formed, perspectives broadened, and a new generation of peatland professionals left with renewed motivation and optimism for the future development of paludiculture.

When We Talk About Drought, We Must Talk About Water

New GMC information paper

28/06/2026  Wet and rewetted peatlands play a key role in making landscapes more resilient to increasing periods of drought and extreme weather events. Although total precipitation levels remain similar to previous levels, they are distributed more unevenly. Extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall and long periods of drought are on the rise.

A recent information paper explains in detail how peatlands regulate the landscape’s water balance, which factors determine their water storage capacity, and what role rewetting plays in flood control and climate protection. It also outlines the conditions under which rewetting can be successfully implemented and the challenges involved.

Peatland restoration is essential for climate protection: To achieve the goal of net-zero emissions by 2045, approximately 80,000 hectares of peatlands would need to be restored annually. In particular, the removal of artificial drainage systems is crucial to this effort.

Brasil for Peatland Breakthrough

hopefully taking champion role

19/06/2026  Brazil is taking important steps towards becoming a Champion Country of the Peatland Breakthrough, the global initiative to accelerate peatland conservation, restoration and sustainable management worldwide.

Brazil hosts the world’s largest known extent of tropical peatlands, covering approximately 226,000 km² across the Amazon, Cerrado, Pantanal, Atlantic Forest, Pampa and coastal regions. Despite their global importance, peatlands remain largely absent from Brazil's environmental legislation, greenhouse gas reporting and national as well as international climate policy as 53 Brazilian researchers criticised in an open letter .

Brazil's National Committee for Wetlands (CNZU) has now recommended that the Ministry of the Environment formally endorse the Peatland Breakthrough and explore taking on a Champion Country role. The recommendation marks an important step towards strengthening the recognition of peatlands within Brazil's climate, biodiversity and water policies.

“This is great news for the global peatland community - catalysed by the climate conference COP30 in Belem, exchange with peatland scientists and conservationists in Brazil intensified and we are excited and very grateful for the country’s interest and commitment to join global peatland action”, said Dr. Franziska Tanneberger, director of the Greifswald Mire Centre, who was invited to participate in the National Committee for Wetlands meeting.

“The recommendation issued by the National Committee for Wetlands reflects Brazil's growing recognition of peatlands as strategic ecosystems for climate regulation, biodiversity conservation and water security,” said Dr. Suelma Ribeiro Silva from the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio).

If endorsed, Brazil would join Peru, Uganda and Germany as Champion Countries of the Peatland Breakthrough, strengthening international cooperation on peatland conservation, restoration and sustainable management.

About the Peatland Breakthrough

The Peatland Breakthrough is a global call to action led by Wetlands International, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the Greifswald Mire Centre, developed in close alignment with the Global Peatlands Initiative, and in collaboration with the Convention on Wetlands. The growing list of partners includes: Global Environment Centre, Landscape Finance Lab, RE-PEAT, and The Nature Conservancy.

The Peatland Breakthrough charts a clear path forward through three global targets:

1. Halt the anthropogenic loss of undrained peatlands by 2030.

2. By 2030, at least 30 million hectares of peatlands will be rewetted and restored.

3. By 2030, enabling conditions for sustainable, wise use will be developed, and by 2050, it is implemented on all peatlands.

EDELNASS workshop

Three years of research on wetland biomass.

16/06/2026  What can be produced from wetland biomass — and how can sustainable value chains be created from it? The EDELNASS project presents its findings on these questions after three years of research. The closing workshop on June 23, 2026, at the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy will focus on the use of wetland biomass for paper, basic chemicals, and other bio-based products. Researchers will present their findings and discuss with industry stakeholders the opportunities and challenges for the future use of peatland and marsh biomass.
In addition to the project results, the focus will be on exchange and looking ahead: What next steps are needed to ensure that innovative products and value chains derived from wetland biomass make the leap into practical application? The event starts at 11 a.m. (reception at 10 a.m.) and ends at 4 p.m. Afterward, interested attendees can tour ATB laboratories and facilities. Participation is possible both in person and online.
Further information and registration: https://doodle.com/sign-up-sheet/participate/e4f89709-ceed-45bc-981b-79deb00dc6f6/select

More peatland on everyone’s lips

German Amateur Brewers’ Championship

10/06/2026  Getting more people talking about peatlands—what peatland enthusiast wouldn’t want that? Several peatland researchers from the Greifswald Mire Centre were therefore happy to serve as judges for the peatland beers at the German Amateur Brewers’ Championship hosted by Störtebeker Braumanufaktur. With flavors and colors ranging from peat-dark to marsh marigold yellow, it wasn’t easy to pick the winning beer! The bog-and-beer combination isn’t just refreshing—it also makes it possible to draw people’s attention to peatlands in a casual way. Of course, here at the GMC, we dream of cultivating these “botanicals” on a large scale—that is, fields of paludiculture featuring bog myrtle and bog birch on rewetted areas—for the mass production of delicious peatland beers. But please note: For the brewing competition, we collected the botanical ingredients from the peatland with special permission. Especially in intact peatlands, which are often protected nature reserves, you are not allowed to pick or remove plants! You can gain more firsthand—or rather, first-keg—experience with peatland beer brewing at the awards ceremony on September 5 in Stralsund. Until then—cheers!

RRR2025 - Aftermovie

Watch now!

02/06/2026 Just in time for International Peatlands Day, the official aftermovie for the 2025 International RRR Conference was released. A film featuring 350 participants, 84 presentations, and a common theme — the sustainable use of peatlands, also known as paludiculture.

The aftermovie on the international conference „RRR2025 - Renewable Resources from Wet and Rewetted Peatlands“ conference features voices from countries in Europe, Africa, and the U.S. that highlight varying levels of development and potential:

Lorna Parker from the United Kingdom discusses the experimental nature of the initiative there so far and the nascent cultivation of cattails in the Great Fen.

Leonard Akwany from Kenya sees paludiculture there as still in its infancy, but also recognizes its great potential for water and climate protection, as well as the advantage of being able to build on European experience.

Prof. Christian Fritz from the Netherlands emphasizes the strength of paludiculture in combining effective climate protection with economic use, as well as benefits for the water balance and the microclimate. He considers knowledge transfer, economic incentives, and cooperation among various stakeholder groups to be crucial for further implementation.

Prof. Harald Grethe from Germany estimates that the transition to large-scale rewetting and paludiculture will take between 15 and 25 years. He considers linking rewetting efforts to renewable energy and fostering intensive exchange between science and practice to be central to this process.

Orion Blake, a farmer from the U.S., shares his experiences with wetland farming in the Walkill River Valley. In light of land subsidence and increasing flooding, he sees paludiculture as a sustainable solution, but faces significant resistance. Yet through his own farm, he has been demonstrating for several years how such approaches can be implemented locally and practically.

From a niche concept to almost a trend—GMC Director Franziska Tanneberger provides insight into how paludiculture has developed over the past ten years and how it can best be scaled up in the future. In her view, the RRR conferences since 2013 have contributed to this by connecting stakeholders worldwide and fostering exchange.

Current national funding decisions, such as the Palu Guidelines, are giving the topic of paludiculture an additional boost. The RRR organizers, the Greifswald Mire Centre and the Thünen Institute, are therefore confident that they will once again bring together stakeholders from academia, the field, and politics in 2028 to share knowledge, strengthen networks, and jointly develop concrete approaches for rewetting and the productive wet land use of peatlands .

GMC warns against changes to the EEG

01/06/2026  Peatland based photovoltaic systems could lose their special status: the current draft bill for the EEG amendment proposes scrapping the preferential treatment afforded to PV on peatland installations. The Greifswald Moor Centrum believes this sends the wrong signal at the wrong time.
In a recent statement, the GMC points out that PV on peatlands creates an important incentive for the rewetting of peatlands. The combination of climate protection and renewable energy generation can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from drained peatlands whilst opening up new economic prospects for land use.
If this preferential treatment is removed, rewetting projects could lose momentum. At the same time, there is a risk that photovoltaic systems will continue to be built on drained peatland soils, generating further climate-damaging emissions, whilst opportunities for climate, species and peatland conservation remain untapped. The GMC therefore advocates retaining peatland PV as a technology particularly worthy of support under the EEG.

The full statement on the draft EEG is also available online.

PhotoVoice in Ammerland

Join in!

28/05/2026  Do you enjoy taking photos and sharing your pictures and thoughts on peatlands? Then we have just the thing for you here in the Ammerland district: the interactive photo project “Encounters with the Peatland” as part of the #MOOSland project warmly invites you to capture the diversity of the peatlands in photographs and stories – with several events over three months.

Register by 7 June (via the following link: https://survey.academiccloud.de/f/757768?lang=de) for our kick-off event and become part of our exciting research project on a sustainable future for people and the peatlands.

The interactive photo project entitled “Encounters with the Peatland” is part of the MOOSland collaborative project. It explores what people in Ammerland associate with the peatland and where they encounter it. Over a period of two weeks, participants will capture their images of the peatland and then discuss them. Participation is free of charge.

Further information can be found in the project flyer.

Save the Date: Paludiculture Conference

Focus on peatland use in Lower Saxony

New policy briefs published

Peatland rewetting for climate neutrality

18/05/2026  The Greifswald Moor Centrum has published a new series of policy briefs. Titled “2026 Policy Briefs: Rewetting drained peat soils supports climate neutrality”, the publications highlight how rewetting drained peat soils can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support national and European pathways towards climate neutrality.

The series includes an EU-level edition as well as country-specific versions for Germany, Belgium, Finland, Austria, and Poland. The policy briefs provide science-based and practice-oriented insights for policy and decision-making, illustrating how peatland rewetting as a nature-based climate solution can contribute to achieving climate goals.

The publications are aimed at policymakers, administrations, and practitioners and offer context-specific information tailored to different national settings.

Further information and access to the policy briefs are available online: GMC briefing papers

Paludiculture – how does it work?

Online seminar on value creation

13/05/2026  How can paludibiomass be used as a raw material for construction, manufacturing and energy? This question will be addressed in the free online seminar ‘Value Creation & Utilisation: Peatland Biomass as a Raw Material for Construction, Industry and Energy’ on 10 June 2026 from 10:00 to 12:30.

The seminar will focus on material and energy applications of peatland crops, market potential and practical examples along the value chain. The event is aimed at stakeholders from agriculture, business, science and public administration.

The programme includes presentations by Roman Adam on the link between peatland climate protection and value creation through MoorFaser, by Henning Voigt on cattail as a peatland crop, and by Frank Havemeyer on the development of regional value creation structures using peatland biomass in the Teufelsmoor.

The seminar series, jointly organised by FNR, the Farmers’ Association and the Greifswald Moor Centrum, is designed to be interactive and offers opportunities for exchange and discussion, as well as new perspectives on the sustainable use of peatland soils.

More information and registration for the seminar online.

Open Call: Join the Innovation!

Ideas for paludi biomass wanted.

11/05/2026  Researchers, students, and early-stage teams are invited to apply for the new “greenCHEM x Paludi Challenge”. The innovation program supports the development of new applications and value chains for underutilized paludi biomass and its side streams.

The challenge is looking for ideas for sustainable materials, chemical building blocks, or scalable processes that can contribute to climate-positive land-use approaches.

Participants will gain access to laboratories, infrastructure, equipment, and biomass, alongside workshops, mentoring from academia and industry, and opportunities to test and validate ideas in practice. The program also offers networking opportunities within a strong innovation ecosystem and support for further validation projects or funding opportunities.

Applications are now open. The application deadline is 30 May 2026.

The initiative involves besides the Greifswald Mire Centre also the Universität Greifswald, Technische Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and additional partners.

Further information and application details are available online.

Spin the big wheel of peatland knowledge

at Science Day 2026 in Greifswald

08/05/2026  At Science Day 2026 on 27 June 2026, peatland researchers from the University of Greifswald and the Greifswald Mire Centre will be spinning the wheel – the wheel of peatland knowledge – offering insights into their work on peatlands and climate protection.  At an own stand, they will demonstrate the role peatlands play for the climate, the environment and society, and why peatland research is important both locally and globally.

Visitors can find out more through these activities:

• spin the big (lucky) wheel of peatland knowledge to discover curious peatland facts and set the record straight on some peatland myths,

• peatland-match – find out which peatland plant can be turned into which product

• take a look at thousands of years of Earth’s history through the pollen puzzle and under the microscope

• find the nearest peatland in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on the ‘Peatland near you?’ map

The peatland researchers are happy to stamp your acquired peatland knowledge. There is a small reward for a full collection card.

The Science Day in Greifswald in 2026 will focus on “One Health” and, with lectures, guided tours and numerous hands-on activities, invites visitors to discover science and engage in conversation with researchers. At the same time, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences will be celebrating its 75th anniversary.

You can find more information on the website.

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
  
  

World Wetland Day

A Year in Peatlands

2 February 2026  To mark International Wetlands Day on 2 February, the Greifswald Moor Centre is announcing a new series of events: ‘A Year in Peatlands’. Every month, an excursion will give interested parties the opportunity to explore the diverse peatland landscape in and around Greifswald and in Vorpommern.

In summer, participants can experience individual topics such as biodiversity, history of use and paludiculture in the field. In the winter months, participants can keep warm while working or sit in the cosy peatland library.

Here are the upcoming dates:
On 7 February, it's time to get stuck in at Mannhagen Moor. Together, we will clear young trees from the peatland to protect rare species. Hot soup will be provided during the lunch break.
On 16 March, the excursion will take us to the ‘treasure on the coast’, the Drammendorf polder on Rügen, with lots of information about renaturation and current research in this coastal peatland.
On 25 April, we will see whether peatland protection and use can be combined. The Bargischow Süd polder is being converted to wet cultivation (paludiculture).
On 9 May, we will experience the sound of a coastal flood peatland while observing breeding birds on the Karrendorfer Wiesen. In addition to fascinating bird calls, participants will learn all about the history of use and nature conservation measures in the area.

Whether natural, utilised, degraded or rewetted – the excursions take place in areas with very different conditions and functions. They are open to anyone interested, are free of charge, but require online registration.
All information here: A Year in Peatlands – Greifswald Moor Centre

Background: World Wetlands Day

Since 1997, World Wetlands Day (WWD) has been held annually on 2 February to raise awareness of the importance of wetlands, including peatlands. On 2 February 1971, the Ramsar Convention, the international agreement on the protection of wetlands, was adopted. Since 2021, it has been recognised as an international day by the United Nations. Pollution, drainage and agriculture, fires and overfishing have threatened or already destroyed wetlands, including peatlands, worldwide. Yet they are guarantors of biodiversity and climate protection. Among other things, they offer people protection against drought and flooding, purify water and regulate the microclimate. In Germany, 95% of the former peatlands have been drained and are no longer recognisable as such today.

How does Typha germinate?

New brochure

27/01/2026  Andre Jansen set to find how Typa germinates and what it means for the future of paludiculture – a climate-smart way of farming on rewetted peatlands. Because wet agriculture can help to protect peatlands while still producing valuable biomass!

The result: the brochure "The germination of Typha species" now available online! Based on an extensive literature review, it translates ecological knowledge into practical insights for sustainable land use and restoration.

Five key takeaways:

1️⃣ Typha species produce enormous amounts of viable seeds, making sowing a promising and cost-effective alternative to planting.
2️⃣ Water regime is the key driver: fluctuating water levels strongly influence germination and seedling establishment.
3️⃣ Typha seeds germinate fast and reliably under the right conditions, especially with sufficient light and temperature.
4️⃣ The species’ ability to form persistent seed banks allows rapid colonisation after rewetting events.
5️⃣ Understanding germination ecology is essential for successful paludiculture and peatland conservation.

-> Discover more in the full brochure here

Well peaty & spongy

Expert forum at the Future Forum on Rural Development at Green Week

19/01/2026  How can water be retained in the landscape? This is the topic of the expert forum on sponge landscapes and paludiculture on 21 January at Green Week. Water is key to making agricultural landscapes resilient to the effects of the climate crisis. The forum will provide best practice examples of how agriculture, nature conservation and local authorities can achieve this through water meadows, controllable drainage, agroforestry systems, humus formation or peatland rewetting and paludiculture. The speakers Corinna Friedrich and Thomas Köhler (DVL), Josef Sedlmeier (Regensburg Landscape Conservation Association) and Dr Franziska Tanneberger (co-director of the Greifswald Moor Centrum) will also discuss the framework conditions and transferability of practical experience to other regions.

The expert forum will take place from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in Room A6 in the City Cube and can also be followed via livestream. It is organised by the German Association for Landscape Conservation (DVL) in cooperation with the Greifswald Mire Centre.

Paludi Summer School 2026

Only a few places left!

10/01/2026  Last chance: There are only a few places left for the nine-day Paludi Summer School in June 2026. Doctoral students and early-career scientists who are looking for expertise and want to network can still register until 31st January.
The Paludi Summer School will take place from 8 to 17 June 2026 at the Thünen Institute in Braunschweig and the Greifswald Moor Centrum.
The main goal is to strengthen interdisciplinary exchange and to connect participants with each other as well as with experts from research and practice. The focus is on jointly developing and deepening knowledge about paludiculture. The programme is supplemented by practical tasks, interactive workshops and excursions to project sites, rounded off by several leisure activities that provide opportunities for exchange and networking. Each participant is asked to give a presentation on their own research topic – an opportunity to share ideas, receive feedback and learn from each other.
Registrations are possible using this form. The Paludi Summer School is organised by the PaludiZentrale project.

From Peatland to market

LCA for paludiculture – how does it work?

Greifswald, 7 January 2026 Clemens Kleinspehn is working at the University of Greifswald on the PaludiAllianz project to calculate the environmental impact over the entire life cycle – a so-called Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) – for a paludiculture product. His focus: the OTTO Group's shipping carton, which consists of 10% biomass from wet moors.

In the latest Paludiculture interview, he explains that this primarily provides the basis for the economic competitiveness of paludiculture products. The challenge here is that international life cycle assessment databases currently lack data on paludiculture products. Clemens Kleinspehn not only shows how the project closes these data gaps, but also which competing products may provide an orientation and which impact categories, such as water and energy consumption, biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions, it focuses on. He also addresses the importance of LCA transparency, as there are no binding standards.

The LCA is not only intended to provide scientific findings, but mainly to offer companies and interested consumers a sound basis for decision-making. ‘Climate balances are an important purchasing criterion today,’ emphasises Kleinspehn. ‘Our results will be published so that producers and interested parties can better evaluate paludiculture products.’ The analysis is expected to be completed in six months.

Peatland-PV could do much better

if it was wet

06/01/2026  Good measure, wrong spot: More GHG emitted than saved by sustainable energy – that’s how the greenhouse gas balance on solar power on drained peatlands in Germany looks like so far, this new study in Scientific Reports of @springernature shows:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-27952-4

Instead, this could be far better, and solar-PV on peatlands even greener, if … they were wet!  Rewetting stops CO2-emissions from drained peatlands nearly immediately and thus prevents harm from continued peat oxidation exceeding the benefit of a clean energy production.

“Newly wet peatlands with suitably designed solar parks could have a combined benefit and can unlock a powerful climate mitigation potential.” says co-author Carl Pump of the University of Greifswald. “But only with smart and careful planning - ideally in cooperation with all relevant stakeholders and authorities.”

165 solar parks have already been built on peatland until December 2023 with a total installed capacity of 643 MWp. In average they provide electricity for 200.000 households per year. Due to generally lower soils scores peatland areas might even have been favoured in the past. A substantial number of these plants receives feed-in tariff. Since 2023 it has been prohibited to receive feed-in tariff for new solar parks built on drained peatlands, making them largely unprofitable.

The study’s key messages:
- No new solar parks on drained peatlands!
- Peatland PV on rewetted soils can substantially contribute to energy transition!
- Through the additional rewetting of the peatland next to the PV, the emission values of a kWh can be even more positive.
-Rewetted peatland PV could also be part of landuse transition to rewet peatland