A new project in north-west England is trialling “wetter farming” — rewetting drained peatlands to grow crops in boggier conditions while reducing carbon emissions. Though technically called paludiculture, the term refers to farming on wet peat soils, a method historically used in the UK.
Over centuries, most UK peatlands have been drained for agriculture, leading to significant CO₂ emissions. Drained peat now accounts for about 3% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, despite covering only a small portion of land.
The €10 million Palus Demos project aims to reverse this by rehydrating peatlands without taking land out of production. Techniques include blocking drainage ditches, installing water-retaining bunds, and using weirs and irrigation systems.
Crops under trial include cabbage, blueberries, rhubarb, cranberries, bulrushes (for textiles and building materials), and sphagnum moss (for compost). Demonstration sites span the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands.
Challenges include making wetter farming economically viable. The Lancashire Wildlife Trust (LWT) is exploring funding through carbon-offset programs and government incentives like the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). Some trial lands were already abandoned due to poor productivity, making them ideal for rewetting.
Early results are promising: LWT’s Winmarleigh project showed an 86% drop in CO₂ emissions after rewetting. If successful, wetter farming could become a global model, especially for degraded peatlands in Europe, North America, and tropical regions.
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