Economic opportunities of wetland rewetting and paludiculture Hans Joosten Uni-Greifswald: Peatland Studies & Palaeo-ecology International Mire Conservation Group Belarus UNFCCC delegation

Reasons for rewetting For the climate Against fire.. Because of pumping costs For social reasons… Fascist demonstration in Amklam 31 July 2010…

Rewetting of peatland is good for the climate More climatic profit can even be made by using rewetted peatlands for biomass cultivation To replace fossil fuels and fossil raw materials 500,000 km2 of degraded peatlands PALUDICULTURE !!

Paludiculture Drainage of peatlands for conventional agriculture, forestry and peat extraction is responsible for 2 Gtons of CO2 emissions. Drained peatlands are increasingly used for the production of biofuels. This generally leads to (much) larger CO2-emissions from oxidizing peat soil than can be saved by replacing fossil fuels.

…mais on destroyed peatland for biogas… Germany …mais on destroyed peatland for biogas…

…although biofuels from drained peatland produce 3 – 9 times more CO2 than burning coal…

Paludiculture is agriculture on wet/rewetted peatlands Roswarowo, Poland Paludiculture is agriculture on wet/rewetted peatlands

Paludiculture Paludiculture is an innovative alternative to conventional drainage-based peatland agri- and silviculture Ideally the peatlands should be so wet that peat is conserved and peat accumulation is re-installed. Paludiculture uses that part of net primary production that is not necessary for peat formation (80-90% of NPP).

Paludiculture In the temperate, subtropical and tropical zones, peat is generally formed by roots and rhizomes. Aboveground parts can be harvested without harming peat formation.

Biomass from wet peatlands in temperate Europe. Q* = quality demand : ++ = high. + = medium, 0 = low).

Paludiculture Paludicultures on rewetted drained peatlands contribute to climate change mitigation in two ways: by reducing GHG emissions from drained peatland soils by replacing fossil resources by renewable biomass alternatives.

Example: common reed Rewetting results in a GHG emission reduction of 15 t CO2-eq∙ha-1∙a-1. The reed of 1 hectare can replace fossil fuels in a cogeneration plant that would otherwise emit 15 t CO2. Emissions from handling amount to 2 t CO2-eq ha-1. Using reed from paludiculture would thus avoid emissions of almost 30 t CO2-eq∙ha-1∙a-1

Planting reed on drained peatland before rewetting…

Reed cultivation on rewetted fens

Reed cultivation: Biomass ánd peat accumulation

Roof reed: quality product

Reed (Phragmites australis) Productivity: 3 – 25 t DM/ha*a Harvest cycle: 1 - 2 yr Peat accumulation: ++/0

Alder cultivation on rewetted fens

Alder cultivation: biomass ánd peat accumulation

Alder (Alnus glutinosa) Productivity: 3 – 10 t DM/ha*a Harvest cycle: 60-70 yr Peat accumulation: +/0

Harvesting of wet peatland biomasse in Poland

Briquetting of peatland biomasse in Poland 24

Peatmoss cultivation as peat alternative in horticulture Nov 2004 Mai 2004 Aug 2005 Peatmoss cultivation as peat alternative in horticulture Aug 2006

Peatmoss farming: avoids up to 50 ton CO2 ha-1 a-1: 20 by rewetting drained bogland + 25 by replacing fossil peat + 5 by avoiding international transport

Kalimantan: Jelutung on rewetted peat swamp

…perspectives for purun…

Paludiculture Most paludicultures can compete with normal drainage based agriculture. Substantial market distortion because of agricultural subventions (EU: ‘paludiculture is no agriculture’). Paludicultures do not compete with food production. Paludiculture is a cheap and effective way to reduce emissions

Paludiculture = paludi-future!!