Combining moorland climate protection and value creation through rewetting and paludiculture -MOOReturn-

Climate protection needs wet peatlands! Peatlands are significant carbon reservoirs and if wet, carbon remains stored in the peat and peat regrowth can even take place. Wet peatlands also play an important role in climate change adaptation. In addition, they are extremely important for groundwater and flood protection and for the preservation of typical peatland animal and plant species. Germany's peatland soils, which cover about 5% of the land area, are 95% drained and mostly in agricultural use. The subsistence of numerous farmers is closely linked to theuse of the drained peatlands. Grazing and agriculture are currently the most widespread forms of land use. Thus, drainage-based land use is in conflict with climate protection. Peatland revitalisation is the crucial step to stop the ongoing anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gases from peatlands and at the same time to enable natural carbon sequestration with long-term storage for the future. The concept of paludiculture opens up perspectives for adapted use and new added value opportunities. MOOReturn is the long-term linking of peatland soil protection with added value from peatland biomass utilisation through paludiculture with the following objectives: 1. Implementing revitalisation of drained peatlands over as large areas as possible and optimising the water levels of already revitalised peatlands in the region around Malchin. 2. Demonstration of an economic, residue-free treatment process for the utilisation of peat biomass on an industrial scale. 3. Holistic demonstration of the economic viability and positive climate impact of the use of wet peatlands, taking social aspects into account. 4. Establishing and supporting networks by knowledge transfer, also on the basis of interactive and digital learning tools.