Paludiculture in Latvia

Normunds Stivrins

University of Latvia, Department of Geography

University of Latvia, Institute of History

Tallinn University of Technology, Department of Geology

Lakes and Marshes Research Centre

Ilze Ozola

Lakes and Marshes Research Centre

Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava"

DOI: 10.22364/fg.20.1.1

Keywords: organic soil, peatsoil, peatland, agriculture, forestry

Abstract

Climate change has led to the introduction of mitigation actions. Latvia has a wide distribution of both peat soils and bogs, the formation of which has been influenced by Latvia's geography and geology. Rewetting of degraded peatland and organic soil has been proposed as an action to mitigate climate change. Under wet and waterlogged peatland conditions, CO2 emissions are reduced, CO2 is removed from the atmosphere by the growing vegetation, and long-term carbon sequestration in the peat layers is ensured. The biomass growing above ground can be harvested and used to produce a variety of products; this is more commonly known as paludiculture, which is farming and forestry on wet and waterlogged peatland and peatland vegetation that ensures peat accumulation and long-term retention. This study reviews the current state of the cultivation and use of paludiculture in Latvia and assesses the pros and cons of its wider adoption. Although some companies and project promoters are already cultivating and trialling paludiculture, current Latvian and European Union legislation and public policies do not support the full implementation of paludiculture. In the context of the current European Union policy towards reduced GHG emissions from organic soils and biodiversity conservation, cover crops are one of the potential solutions providing both long-term GHG reductions and increased carbon storage and sequestration in soils and further economic use of above-ground biomass. A single solution for all organic soils is not feasible and therefore several potential scenarios (afforestation and paludiculture) should be integrated, preceded by a site-specific assessment for each activity. It is necessary to assess the extracted bogs and organic/peat soil territories: which are GHG emitters, and which are already carbon sinks.