Protecting Moors Means Climate Change Mitigation
The term “moor” is generally applied to swamp-like humid landscapes consisting mainly of turf, moss and peat. They represent important ecosystems, home to rare plant and animal species. Moors are also instrumental in climate change mitigation. Peatlands in general play a key role in the effort to slow global warming. In a healthy state, they store large quantities of carbon dioxide.
Why Protect Moorlands?
Whenever moors are destroyed or drained, which is sadly what happened to 95 % of the original peatlands in Germany, they emit vast amounts of the carbon dioxide that is stored in the peat and that actively contributes to global warming. Moreover, wetlands are among the most important habitats for almost 40 % of all bird species and a wide variety of plant and insect species. Their functions as ecosystems actually make peatlands indispensable for human society. Because they serve the purposes of water storage, flood protection, groundwater purification, and because they are generally an important link in the water cycle. You could say they act as the kidneys of the natural environment.
High Time to Act
Although peatlands cover only 3 % of the global surface, twice as much carbon is sequestered in peatland soils as in all of the world’s woodlands combined. Peatlands are true climate heroes. There is still time to save Germany’s last remaining peatlands, and this is exactly the stated goal is of the WE WANT MOOR non-profit society. In order to succeed, the society needs the support of dedicated people like you.
The Objective of all Moor Protection Measures is Regeneration, Meaning the Restoration of Peatlands to their Original State
Peatland development takes the form of a three-stage process of varying length, proceeding from rewetting to re-naturalisation and all the way to regeneration. These processes seek to restore the natural conditions of peat areas. By the end of the re-naturalisation phase, which can take a number of years, the bog has become waterlogged from precipitation, making it easy for peatland vegetation to spread. Once the rehydrated peatland has become a living and peat-producing moor, the goal of moor reclamation has been achieved.
Tannenbusch
Our first project, located in the Niederlausitzer Landrücken nature reserve in the Lower Lusatia region, involved a short-term measure to retain water in an existing moor, and was an important contribution to peatland conservation. We successfully completed this project in mid-August 2022.
Quellmoor
Together with Lions Club District Nord, we launched a fund raiser for a cooperative peatland conservation program. The head of the Niederlausitzer Landrücken nature reserve personally showed us around the peat area in the care of the cooperative, enabling us to get a first-hand impression of the conditions on site.
Work Camp
The Calauer Schweiz nature reserve in southern Brandenburg is the site of a working weekend outdoors to revitalise the “Kleine Hölle” sloped peatland. Breaking a sweat and getting your hands dirty is definitely part of it! We had a really good time the first time around, and now look forward to the next work camp weekend. Everyone is welcome to join us!
For us, climate change mitigation means WE WANT MOOR
We set up a non-profit society to initiate active environmental protection measures. The society “WE WANT MOOR Verein zum Schutz der deutschen Moore e. V.” dedicates its efforts to the conservation of existing moors and to the re-naturalisation of moorlands in Germany.
The WE WANT MOOR society passes the knowledge of sustainable action in this context on to private individuals, organisations and businesses. The first moor protection measures are already under way. If you would like to learn more about moor protection and our ongoing projects, be sure to check the society’s homepage.
HERE IS SOMETING EVERYONE CAN DO TO PROTECT MOORS AND THE CLIMATE: PEAT-FREE GARDENING
- Keep an eye out for bags of potting soils with labels like “peat-free” or “no peat.” This is preferable to bags promising “peat-reduced” or “low in peat” contents, because these contain at least some peat. Even the label “organic potting soil” can be misleading because they may also contain large proportions of peat.
- A great alternative to peat is compost, ideally produced in your own garden.
- Peat-free soils sold for tub plants will permanently improve the supply with humus and nutrients in the ground, enhance the subsoil structure and support essential soil life. Today, all major producers offer entirely peat-free potting soil variants.