Paludiculture - productive use of wet peatlands

Climate protection - biodiversity - regional economic benefits

Autori

• Wendelin Wichtmann

Parametri

• Agricoltura

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Peatlands cover about 4 million km² globally, with roughly 15% drained for conventional agriculture and forestry, particularly in temperate and tropical regions. This drainage causes irreversible damage, leading to subsidence and soil degradation, which contribute nearly 6% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Rewetting can significantly reduce soil degradation and emissions but renders conventional land use unfeasible. In contrast, paludiculture on wet and rewetted peatlands enables sustainable biomass production while reactivating or sustaining various ecosystem services affected by drainage. Biomass from these peatlands serves multiple purposes, including fuel, raw materials, food, fodder, and medicine. The authors evaluate ecosystem services and the economic viability of different land use options, providing practical recommendations and legal considerations for implementing paludicultural methods, along with global application experiences. The historical context of peatland utilization, its intensification, and the emergence of paludiculture as a balanced land use approach are discussed. This resource offers extensive insights for practitioners, scientists, and policymakers, promoting wise peatland management principles and advocating for the global adoption of paludiculture as a sustainable method for utilizing organic soils.

Lingua: Inglese

Pubblicato: 2016