Peatland rewetting in Russia, Phase II

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Peat bogs cover around three percent of the world's land area, but store twice as much carbon as all the world's forests combined. This shows how important the restoration of peatlands is as a contribution to climate protection and protection against forest fires. More than eight percent of Russia's area is covered with peatlands. Huge areas were drained in the past to make them usable for agriculture, forestry and peat mining. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, many areas have been left fallow. Around 2.75 million hectares of land are now at acute risk of fire. The peat and forest fires around Moscow in the summer of 2010 demonstrated this in dramatic fashion. Peat fires on less than 500 hectares caused more smoke than many thousands of hectares of forest fires and were the main cause of serious economic and health damage. As part of the project, the most important drained peatlands in central Russia will be identified and rewetted using various methods. In addition, Russian partners will be trained so that they can independently implement the ecological rewetting method developed in Western Europe in the future. Possibilities for the sustainable use of rewetted moorland areas (paludiculture) are being tested and, where possible, introduced on a pilot basis. The project thus makes an important contribution to reducing the risk of fire, protecting the climate and restoring unique biodiversity.