Sphagnum farming

by Greta Gaudig

Because of severe anthropogenic exploitation, peat accumulating mires in Europe have only survived on less than half of their original area (in Germany only on 1%). In most countries of Western and Central Europe the stocks of slightly humified Sphagnum peat (white peat) are nearly depleted after centuries of agricultural use and peat extraction. To cover the demands, white peat is imported from Northern and Eastern Europe and Canada in increasing volumes. As the stocks will continue to decrease, and good alternatives are lacking, strategies have to be developed that ensure a lasting and sustainable supply of suitable raw material for composing substrates in professional horticulture.

This is furthermore required because the restoration of cut-over peatlands can only partly compensate for the conservation losses as a result of peat extraction. Various conservation values, including the archive value of bogs, their self regulation mechanisms, and the associated patterns, can not be restored or re-develop only over many centuries. This calls for a strict protection of remaining natural bogs.

One of the possibilities to deal with these problems is the sustainable cultivation of peat moss (Sphagnum) in order to replace fossil peat by fresh Sphagnum biomass. Potential areas for implementation include cut-over bogs, bogs that currently are in agricultural use, and the open water areas in abandoned lignite strip mines. The cultivation of Sphagnum will have major advantages for society and looks technically and economically feasible. Further research is, however, required.

In Finland, Canada, and Germany plant cultivation experiments with different parts of fresh Sphagnum biomass were already performed with positive results. Whereas in Canada the Peatland Ecology Research Group (PERG), sponsored by the Canadian peat industry, tests the practical introduction and management of Sphagnum in the field, in Germany the optimization of growth conditions for maximal annual crop of Sphagnum is being investigated intensively in the laboratory. The German governmental Agency of Renewable Resources (FNR) has recognized the potential of Sphagnum farming and finances a three year research project “Peat moss as a renewable resource“ initiated by the University of Greifswald in cooperation with the Institute of Soil Technology in Bremen and the German peat industry.

These initiatives are only the beginning for the realisation of Sphagnum farming. Before large-scale Sphagnum farming can be successfully introduced, much research still has to be done, preferably by consortia of administrative and research institutions and the peat industry. A cooperation of all interested countries will furthermore accelerate the implementation.

Call for EU cooperation in Sphagnum farming

At the IPS Congress in Tampere (06.-11.06.2004) Markku Haukioja (Biolan Oy) and Jukka Huttunen (Kasvutaito) both from the Finish peat industry invited to an open meeting about Sphagnum farming and about 20 interested persons from research institutions and the peat industry from 8 different countries participated. Finland, Canada, and Germany presented their activities with respect to Sphagnum farming.

To consolidate all interested institutions and companies and to coordinate the activities in different countries a workshop is planned at the end of this year to develop a joint EU Sphagnum farming project.

Herewith we call upon all parties who feel up to invest into the future. For more information and registration contact Greta Gaudig: gaudig@uni-greifswald.de