Lower Saxony hosts a significant proportion of peatlands. This large northern federal state of Germany bears a great responsibility for the protection of these sensitive and climate-relevant habitats. Yet, even today the government allocates land for peat excavation and subsidizes the intensive agriculture, in particular the cultivation of maize as an energy supplier. Due to this development the Foundation initiated an alliance for the protection of the peatlands in Lower Saxony.
Many of the raised bogs in Lower Saxony are protected already. There is also a lot of experience by several large rewetting projects across the country. But still the peat is being cut, and the agricultural exploitation on the fens is not sustainable. Soil and water are diminished or polluted and vital habitats of many species endangered.
In order to meet modern conservation requirements - especially in the context of climate protection but also for many other ecosystem services peatlands provide- a new country-wide peatland conservation programme that takes all these services and requirements into account is urgently needed.
The campaign is a coordinated effort of several major conservation organizations in the region, such as the NABU (Lower Saxony) and the BUND (Lower Saxony and Bremen) and led by our partner organization BIOS. The Manfred-Hermsen-Stiftung is funding the campaign and providing technical advice and support.
For more information and campaign materials see