03/07/2025  To ensure that rewetting and restoration efforts don’t get bogged down in lengthy planning, approval, or implementation phases, two brand-new guidelines have just been published for Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein—with contributions from the Greifswald Mire Centre.

Published by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), the Guidance for Planning, Financing and Approval provides an overview of the key steps involved in the planning, funding, and approval of peatland protection projects and associated measures. With over 545,000 hectares of carbon-rich peat soils, Lower Saxony has the highest peatland area of any German federal state. However, the majority has been drained for agriculture, forestry, or peat extraction. Clearly, there’s a lot to be done. Particularly helpful are the included tips on how to accelerate and simplify projects, along with an overview of funding programs and key contacts in the region.

If land is available, data on the site exists, nature conservation requirements must be considered, or questions arise - such as potential pollution from World War II - these and more are addressed by the equivalent guideline for Germany’s northernmost state: the Guidance for Planning and Approval of Peatland Protection Projects in Schleswig-Holstein, published in the series of the Greifswald Mire Centre. Covering 129,800 hectares, Schleswig-Holstein's peatlands have mostly been drained - causing negative impacts on biodiversity, climate, and the water cycle.

Both publications are aimed at public authorities, municipalities, foundations, associations, agricultural enterprises, and private individuals.

The guidance for Lower Saxony was developed in a collaboration between the MoorNet and MoKKa projects by the Michael Succow Foundation and DUENE e.V. (both partners of the Greifswald Mire Centre), the Ecologic Institute, and the Lower Saxony State Agency for Water Management, Coastal and Nature Conservation (NLWKN). The Schleswig-Holstein guideline was created as part of the MoKKa project by GMC partners Succow Foundation and the University of Greifswald, in cooperation with the Ministry for Energy Transition, Climate Protection, Environment and Nature of Schleswig-Holstein (MEKUN).

25/06/2025  Students of the unique master’s program “Landscape Ecology and Nature Conservation” at the University of Greifswald made remarkable botanical discoveries during a field internship focused on peatland research. They rediscovered Hartman’s Sedge (Carex hartmaniorum), which had been considered extinct in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania since 1968, in the Ladebow Moor — the last known location of this species in the region.

The find was unexpected: while conducting a vegetation survey on a meadow, the students closely examined a 4 m² plot. This thorough analysis led to the discovery of Hartman’s Sedge, which likely would have been overlooked during a more superficial inspection of the area. To verify their findings, the students consulted several botanical experts, who confirmed the identification.

Hartman’s Sedge is a perennial plant that reaches heights of 30 to 70 cm and has slender, gray to dark green leaves. Its flowering period spans from May to June, with male and female flowers differing in appearance. The species is typically found in habitats with alternating wet and waterlogged conditions and forms loose turfs in nutrient-poor wet meadows and fens. Unfortunately, many of its natural habitats are severely threatened by drainage and intensive land use, making the protection of these ecosystems critically important.

A key factor in preserving Hartman’s Sedge is the management of nutrient-poor, seasonally wet meadows through low-intensity use. Ideally, this includes late mowing and the removal of cut material to prevent nutrient buildup. Revitalizing fallow meadows can also benefit the species by reducing competition from shrubs and other aggressive plant species.

The rediscovered site in Ladebow Moor has been professionally managed for several years using a single annual mowing regime, demonstrating that appropriate water management and land use practices are vital for the conservation of rare plant species. By integrating agricultural use with peatland and nature conservation, valuable plant communities can be preserved and even restored.

The rediscovery of Hartman’s Sedge highlights the importance of research and sustainable land management in conservation practice and offers hope for future success in the rediscovery and preservation of endangered plant species.