Peatlands cover some 4 million km² worldwide. Approximately 15% of this area - particularly in
the temperate zone and the (sub)tropics - is drained largely to be used for conventional
agriculture and forestry. Drainage leads to irreparable damage to peatlands. Subsidence and
soil degradation frustrate long-term peatland utilisation and are responsible for almost 6% of
the total global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Soil degradation and greenhouse gas
emissions can be strongly reduced by rewetting. Rewetting however makes conventional land use
impossible. In contrast paludiculture on wet and rewetted peatlands allows for permanent
sustainable cultivation of peatlands. The volume introduces paludiculture as a novel land use
practice for the production of biomass which is further able to reactivate or sustain a wide
variety of ecosystem services impaired by peatland drainage. Biomass from wet peatlands is
useful for various applications: as fuel and raw material food fodder and medicine. The
authors discuss and evaluate the ecosystem services and economic feasibility of various land
use options. Practical recommendations for and legal aspects of implementing paludicultural
methods are presented as well as experiences with its worldwide application. The historical
development of peatland utilization including its increasing intensification the resulting
soil degradation and the recent development of paludiculture as an alternative balanced land
use approach are described. The book provides extensive information for practioners and
scientists as well as decision-makers in politics management and explains the principles of
wise peatland management encouraging the worldwide implementation of paludiculture as a unique
form of sustainable utilisation of organic soils. This book is also available in German
language: Paludikultur - Bewirtschaftung nasser Moore
