DE
  • DE
nach oben
nach oben
! Some contents of this article may appear in German.
Readingtime: 3 minutes
09-02-2024
Renaturalisation/mire protection
NABU climate fund secures 3,200 hectares of moorland for rewetting

NABU and REWE are taking stock of the initial success: by the end of the year, twelve million
Euros will be invested in the renaturalisation projects by the end of the year.

In order to achieve Germany's climate targets, degraded peatlands used for agriculture need to be rewetted. However, the restoration of peatlands in Germany is currently making slow progress. This is why NABU, together with its cooperation partner REWE, established the NABU Climate Fund in 2022. With investments of at least 25 million euros, nature-based climate protection projects are being promoted.

NABU and REWE are now taking stock of their initial success. Since the start of the project, almost 3,200 hectares of moorland have been secured for rewetting. A further 1,100 hectares will be added by the end of the year. By then, around twelve million euros will have been channelled into the renaturation projects. In total, the NABU climate fund comprises seven projects in five European countries.

„Peatlands make up only a small part of the earth's surface, but are indispensable for a healthy climate and our ecological balance. To achieve this, we need to restore them to a good condition. In the NABU Climate Fund, we are leading the way together with our trusted partner REWE and making a concrete contribution to the fight against the climate crisis and the loss of species and ecosystems.“
NABU President Jörg-Andreas Krüger

One of these projects is the rewetting of the "Ahlen-Falkenberger Moor" in the district of Cuxhaven with an area of around 200 hectares of degraded, agriculturally utilised raised bog. With an investment of around six million euros, the moor is to be restored to its natural state in the coming years. This will save almost 200,000 tonnes of CO2 in greenhouse gas emissions over the next 25 years.

„Global warming and species extinction are the two biggest ecological crises of our time - and they have a direct impact on us all. We see ourselves as having a clear responsibility here and want to make our contribution. That is why it is very important to us to voluntarily support climate protection projects in addition to our massive commitment to reducing emissions. The project in the Ahlen-Falkenberger Moor near Cuxhaven is Europe's largest renaturalisation project of an agriculturally used raised bog. It is an example of the important work that the NABU Climate Fund is doing to protect the climate and restore natural habitats.“
Dr Daniela Büchel, Member of the Management Board of REWE Group

In the Ahlen-Falkenberger Moor, the topsoil used for agricultural purposes is being removed, among other things. Drainage channels are closed and ditches filled in to stop water run-off. This is the only way to restore the raised bog vegetation typical of the landscape. In addition, the area will be used to grow its own peat moss with a water reservoir.

„As a leading peatland state, Lower Saxony has a special responsibility for climate protection and nature conservation. We want to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions from carbon-rich soils by 1.65 million tonnes per year by 2030. Agricultural use and peat extraction have greatly changed our moors over the last two centuries. By systematically restoring these ecosystems, they can once again make a valuable contribution to climate protection and provide a diverse habitat for animal and plant species. The rewetting project by NABU and REWE in the Ahlen-Falkenberger Moor is an exemplary demonstration of how the protection of our biodiversity and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions go hand in hand.“
Christian Meyer, Lower Saxony's Minister for the Environment, Energy and Climate Protection

The project is being supervised in cooperation with the local NABU group Land Hadeln and the Moor Information Centre (MoorIZ). The documentation of water levels and samples, the recording of vegetation and the mapping of breeding birds are being carried out in collaboration with the Institute for Landscape Ecology at the University of Münster.

Further information on the NABU Climate Fund can be found at Genuine climate protection with the NABU Climate Fund - NABU.

Rubrics:
Tags:
My comment
Comment
Discussion rules
Newsletter