Paludiculture
Table of Contents
Introduction
Peatlands (also called bogs or mires) are a type of wetland that have sequestered carbon from the atmosphere for millions of years.
Due to unsustainable practices including draining, burning, and mining for peat, these have begun to release more greenhouse gases than they store. Global warming only makes this problem worse.
By turning to paludiculture, farmers can reverse the harm being done, while continuing to earn enough money to make ends meet. Click the Peatland button to learn more about peatlands and rewilding, or scroll down to learn more about Paludiculture.
Peatlands, Climate and Paludiculture
7:20 minute video talks about the value of mires (peatland), how modern farming destroys these resources and increases farming costs, as well as what can be grown instead to help protect these biomes.
Suggested Crops
"Eighty-eight native UK wetland species have been identified with promising potential for energy, food, fodder, medicinal use, and raw material provision. Exploration of just a few species has begun, with most effort focused on Bulrush (Typha) and farmed Sphagnum. - https://naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2022/09/30/paludiculture-the-future-of-farming-on-peat-soils/
This section includes a variety of suggested and tested plant species, but is not a full or definitive list. Different countries and regions may have other crops or native plants which could also work well in this type of agriculture.
Berries & Fruit
Bilberry
Cranberry
Carnivorous Plants
Sundews
Medicinal use, but certain types are listed as endangered.
Ferns
Azolla filiculoides
Highly nutritious for livestock feed and edible for humans.
Grains
Sedge Grains
Grasses
Reed Canarygrass
"Packaging and disposable tableware; panels; fodder; bedding; combustion, biogas" - Potential Paludiculture Plants of The Holarctic
Herbs
Nettle
Stinging nettles have long been used in soups and other foods, for hair care and other bodily use. The tall stems can also be processed for durable textiles including clothing.
Sweet Grass Grains
Water Mint
Water Pepper
Moss
Peat Moss
Peat is the underlayer of sphagnum moss which has begun to decompose along with other types of plant matter.
Sphagnum
Farmed Sphagnum has the potential to replace peat in growing media but is also being explored for biomedical uses and as a source of industrial chemicals." - https://naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2022/09/30/paludiculture-the-future-of-farming-on-peat-soils/
Reeds
Bulrush (Typha) or Cattails
"Typha has many potential uses: as a building material (fibreboard and light weight aggregates), as a bioenergy crop and in clothing, to name just a few." - https://naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2022/09/30/paludiculture-the-future-of-farming-on-peat-soils/
Common Reed or Phragmites australis
"Thatching material; insulation material; construction material; packaging and disposable tableware; fodder; combustion; biogas; paper "
Trees
Black Alder
Willow
Vegetables
Celery
Duckweed
Highly nutritious, fast growing, and potentially suitable for biofuel.
Watercress
Guides & Resources
Africa
Which Crops Have the Most Potential in a Changing Climate? Use the tabs at the top of this site to narrow your search to vegetables, fruit, etc. Includes a colour-blind option in the top right corner.
Asia
Indonesia
Between Facts and Misconseption: 3 Things We Need to Know About Paludiculture includes a graphic guide showing "Dryland species that can be cultivated on peatlands, but not Paludiculture practices" (in Indonesian) and a colourful "Daftar species tanaman paludiculture/List of Paludiculture plant species" with 4 different categories.
Tropical Peatland Restoration Report: The Indonesian Case (PDF) includes species lists, photos, maps, information about dams and logging, etc.
Europe
UK
An Assessment of the Potential for Paludiculture in England and Wales (PDF)
Paludiculture.org "This website provides a hub for the PEF projects and also provides links for the wider Paludiculture Community."
Maps
Africa
Which Crops Have the Most Potential in a Changing Climate? Use the tabs at the top of this site to narrow your search to vegetables, fruit, etc. Includes a colour-blind option in the top right corner.
Europe
UK
Basic Paludiculture Potential Map for Cumbria: Figure 4 on page 95 of the PDF "An Assessment of the Potential for Paludiculture in England and Wales"
Organizations
Europe
UK
Earthwatch Europe’s Farming with Nature Programme "helps farmers to increase sustainability by working with natural processes, using local nutrient cycles and adapting agriculture to local conditions."
Fenland SOIL "is a not for profit organisation that aims to inform and develop ‘whole farm’ land use policies, to achieve climate change mitigation and biodiversity enhancement in the Fens."
