Moore in focus: Dr. Steinfurth explains about rewetting!

Moore in focus: Dr. Steinfurth explains about rewetting!

The preservation and restoration of peatlands will be the focus of a public lecture taking place on December 4, 2025 at the University of Greifswald. Dr. Kristin Steinfurth, an expert in botany and landscape ecology, will provide exciting insights into the accumulation of peat and the associated carbon sequestration in natural moors at the university's premises. The event is part of the “WETSCAPES2.0” lecture series, which deals with the importance of peatlands for the climate. The University of Greifswald reports on the crucial role of drained peatlands, whose changes not only influence local flora and fauna, but are also crucial for global climate policy.

Dr. Steinfurth will explain how rewetting peatlands can help restore water saturation, which can lead to significant improvements in carbon storage. It is important to understand that rewetted peatlands are fundamentally different from natural, never drained peatlands. In her dissertation at the University of Rostock, the researcher researched the topics of plant nutrition, peat formation and nutrient storage. Her current work in the WETSCAPES2.0 Collaborative Research Center shows promising approaches to identifying and quantifying newly constructed material, known as proto-peat.

Technological innovations in peatland management

Another exciting aspect of moor rewetting is the use of modern technologies. According to a report by Fraunhofer IGD The use of in situ sensors and AI-controlled data analyzes helps to make the monitoring of peatlands and associated emissions more effective. Innovative methods such as the GEST method can be used to measure exactly how well the rewetting measures work. These advances are important not only for scientists, but also for farms and project developers, who can benefit sustainably from effective monitoring.

In addition, it is emphasized that monitoring programs not only serve for monitoring, but can also serve as the basis for environmental certificates. This could help to mobilize private investment in nature conservation projects and promote faster restoration of near-natural peatland conditions. This is essential in order to actually achieve the set climate goals.

The challenge of animal husbandry

But it's not just technical advances that require attention. A problem that is often overlooked is animal husbandry on moorland. Like an analysis of Faba concepts shows that the rewetting of peatlands is problematic for agriculture because it requires a reduction in the number of animals. The current agricultural support policy, which supports drained peatlands, is in contradiction to ecologically sensible forms of management. Currently, the income from paludiculture often does not cover the costs for farmers, which further complicates the situation.

Adjusting subsidies and political measures to reduce animal numbers are necessary steps to ensure sustainable management of peatlands. Developments in this area are multifaceted and complex, but require urgent policy attention to support farmers in transitioning to more climate-friendly practices.

The combination of scientific research, technological innovations and an adapted agricultural policy has the potential not only to revitalize the moorlands in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, but also to establish them as an important factor in climate protection. It remains exciting to see how these developments will continue to unfold.