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‘Peatlands and Climate in a Ramsar context’
Report on Nordic Baltic wetlands
Recently published, the report ‘Peatlands and Climate in a Ramsar context - A Nordic-Baltic Perspective’ summarizes available information on extent, distribution and status of peatlands in the countries of the The Nordic Baltic Wetlands Initiative (NorBalWet, RAMSAR). Besides a country by country assessment, this report discusses the challenges and opportunities to improve the management of peatlands in the NorBalWet countries for climate change mitigation. A key finding of the report: Almost half (46%) of the peatland area of the studied NorBalWet countries has been drained and is now emitting over 75 Mt of CO2 annually. This constitutes a substantial part of the total CO2 budgets of the NorBalWet countries, given that peatland CO2-emissions equal 34% of total CO2-emissions from all other sources combined (excl. land use). The report is a collaboration of the Greifswald Mire Centre, Greifswald University and Risager Consult (Denmark). It has been funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Paludiculture on Expo 2015 in Milan
Short film in the German Pavilion
A short film on paludiculture is presented in the German Pavilion at this year’s Expo in Milan. In the thematic area on climate the research on paludiculture at the GMC is shown as one of the projects for climate friendly and sustainable agriculture as well as a contribution of the federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Visitors can select and watch the film on an interactive platform. The German Pavilion at the Expo Milan 2015 wants to present innovative ideas from Germany addressing the basis of the world’s future nutrition. The Expo is dedicated to the motto „Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life". Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will have a special week at the pavilion from 18th to 25th May.
Nominated in the Netherlands
Prof. Hans Joosten is nominated for the Dutch Climate Award 2015
Radboud University (Prof. Leon Lamers) and Landschap Noord-Holland (director Ernest Briët) have jointly proposed Prof. Hans Joosten for the Durch Climate Award 2015. The nomination shall dignify his achievements in mire conservation and promotion of paludiculture. The award ceremony will take place 26 June 2015 in Utrecht.
High level study-tour
Guiding Russian officials for more peatland conservation and rewetting
In April 2015 a study tour led high level officials of ministries from the regions Moscow and Tver to restored peatland sites in Germany and the Netherlands to inform about methods and application of rewetting. MoorFutures, the world’s first voluntary carbon credits from peatland rewetting, were presented as an instrument of climate change financing at a workshop organised by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) in Bonn. Whether this instrument, which was partly developed by experts of the Greifswald Mire Centre (GMC), might possibly be applied in Russia as well, was subject to lively discussion. In the Netherlands the delegation visited the headquarters of Wetlands International for a project partner meeting and the large scale restoration site Bargerveen at the border of Dutch-German border. The participants were impressed by this rewetting project and the returning nature. The study tour was organised by Wetland International and the Michael Succow Foundation, partner in the GMC, within the project Peatland restoration in Russia.
Establishing the idea of paludiculture in Russia
Workshop at Tver University
On April the 21st and 22ndan international workshop on paludiculture took place at Tver State Technical University in Russia. Main objective was to promote the ideas of paludiculture in Russia, especially as economic incentives for peatland rewetting for fire prevention and climate change mitigation. Presentations included results of a pilot study on the cultivation and utilisation of reed in Tver region and of other projects, e.g. the Wetland Energy project in Belarus.
The workshop was jointly organized by the Peat Institute of the Tver State Technical University and the Michael Succow Foundation, partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre, within the project for Peatland restoration in Russia. During the workshop experimental sites for reed establishment of Tver peat institute (photo) have been visited.
In Tver there is high interest in a closer future cooperation with the Greifswald Mire Center (GMC), especially the Michael Succow Foundation. The exchange of knowledge and expertise within the field of paludiculture is considered an essential to propagate the sustainable peatland management in Russia.
Historian at the Greifswald Peatlands Library
Researching Russian rural and environmental history
Katja Bruisch from the German Historical Institute Moscow is interested in the rural and environmental history of modern Russia focussing on the interplay between ideology, knowledge and politics. After a PhD dissertation on agricultural experts in the late Tsarist and the early Soviet periods, she is now preparing a research project on peat exploitation in 20th century Russia. Using the Greifswald Peatland and Nature Conservation International Library (PeNCIL) she is studying questions of peatland ecology and conservation.
Sphagnum farming is ‘rethinking rural spaces'
Project is official 'Landmark in the Land of Ideas' 2014
'Sphagnum farming', a research project of the University of Greifswald in cooperation with the peat factory Mokura in Ramsloh and other partners, is one of the 100 landmarks in the Germany-wide competition 'Land of Ideas' 2014. The contest is themed 'Innovative Country – Rethinking Rural Spaces'. The award has been celebrated 27. März 2015 at the experimental site in Hankhausen. About 1,000 research institutions, companies and NGOs participated in the contest.
See also:
Landmarks in the Land of Ideas - Sphagnum farming
Greifswald's project 'Peatmoss' is 'Landmark in the Land of Ideas