Paludiculture in the Baltic Countries – Climate Protection by Productive Use of Rewetted Peatlands

The land of the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) contains 21,000 km2 of peatlands, more than 50% of which have been drained or mined. The three countries belong to the top 10 emitters in Europe, with greenhouse gases produced from drained moorland (Latvia is 5th, Estonia 8th and Lithuania 9th). Rewetting peatlands and introducing climate-friendly wetlands management (paludiculture) can prevent significant quantities of emissions. In this context, paludiculture doubles the effect of reductions. Firstly, rewetting stops the peat from decaying and thereby reduces the emissions from peatland; secondly, fossil resources can be replaced by renewable biomass. In addition, peat mosses can be used as horticultural substrates and reeds provide a good fuel source.

Source: Jan Peters, Michael Succow Foundation

In every country, the project identified and prioritised potential sites of peatland for climate-friendly moorland management, working together with stakeholder representatives from the government and the authorities. Over and above this, it raised the partners’ awareness and expanded capacities in the field of paludiculture. This included exchanging knowledge with actors across Europe.

The project supported government partners in the Baltic countries in adapting general conditions for climate-friendly moorland management in national and EU policies. The aim was to encourage land users to undertake less drainage and increase paludiculture.

• Well-founded roadmap for pilot projects: A comprehensive feasibility study, an updated GIS database on suitable priority areas for climate-friendly peatland and paludiculture management, and detailed preliminary planning documents for pilot areas in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania provide the basis for a clearly structured roadmap that enables the short-term implementation of concrete pilot projects and paves the way for climate-friendly use of drained peatlands in the Baltic States. 
• Know-how transfer and examples of good practice: As part of the project, more than 170 representatives from administration, science, business and civil society networked on the climate relevance of peatlands. During a four-day study trip to eleven best practice examples in Germany and the Netherlands, 40 key players gained practical insights that were directly incorporated into their national work.  
• Political influence: Three national policy briefs informed the relevant ministries in the Baltic States about paludiculture, and the legal framework conditions are outlined in a synthesis report. The project had a decisive influence on the EU's 2020 agricultural reform: rewetted areas for paludiculture have since been deemed eligible for funding. This has created financial incentives that enable the large-scale introduction of climate-friendly peatland management in the Baltic States and send a signal across Europe.