Peatland Manuals and Dialogue for Climate Action
In early 2025, EUKI project Building a European Peatlands Initiative (EPI) marked key progress by publishing three peatland manuals by the European Landowners’ Organization (ELO) and milestone workshops in Finland. The project is helping shape practical pathways to reduce emissions and restore ecosystems across Europe’s peatlands.
The year began with a high-profile workshop held on 24 January 2025 in Oulu, Finland, titled “Politics and Good Practices in Peatland Forestry.” Organised jointly by the Finnish Landowners’ Association, ELO, and the EUKI EPI project. The event brought together policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to discuss sustainable forestry on peat soils. Presentations covered alternatives to drainage, hydrological restoration, biodiversity protection, and fertilisation strategies. The workshop laid the groundwork for the Peatland Forestry manual, which ELO published shortly thereafter.
Elsi Katainen, Renew Europe Group, Member of the European Parliament (left), and Kimmo Collander, Secretary General of the Finnish Landowners’ Association (right)
This forestry guide was the final in a trio of technical manuals released by ELO in support of the project:
1. Farming (in) Peatlands – A manual on paludiculture, it offers guidance to farmers on cultivating crops like reed and sphagnum moss that thrive in wet peatlands while delivering climate benefits.
2. Peatland Restoration – Focused on restoring degraded peatlands, this manual outlines methods like ditch-blocking and topsoil removal, along with guidance on project planning and funding.
3. Peatland Forestry – Published following the Oulu workshop, this manual supports forest managers with practical strategies to reduce emissions while maintaining forest productivity in peat-rich regions.
In addition to the Oulu workshop, the manuals were also presented at the Forum for the Future of Agriculture, a key event that brought together European stakeholders to explore the intersection of farming, forestry, and climate resilience. The forum provided an important platform to raise awareness and spark discussion around sustainable peatland management.
The three manuals were presented and discussed during the capacity-building event hosted by CEEweb for Biodiversity on 27–28 May 2025, titled “Conservation of Peatlands: Policies, Funds and Field Experiences.” Held both online and in person, the workshop featured ELO’s presentation of all three brochures, with a particular emphasis on the newly released Peatland Forestry guide. This manual received the most attention, offering participants practical insights into climate-resilient land use and sparking engaged discussion.
Covering just 3–4% of the Earth’s surface but storing a third of global soil carbon, peatlands are critical ecosystems in the fight against climate change. By sharing science-based practices and convening landowners, policymakers, and conservationists, the EUKI EPI project is paving the way for climate-smart peatland management in Europe.
