Biologist Meline Brendel, her gaze fixed on her GPS and wearing boots, navigates a stretch of standing water between two-meter reeds in an area that used to be a field four years ago. At this site, located near the small town of Malchin in Germany, she is carrying out an important task: planting stakes and measuring the remaining water levels in this 10-hectare wetland. Over the centuries, these lands were drained to extract peat, grow grain, or raise animals, as were 98% of the swamps in Germany, according to Greifswald Moor, a specialized research center.
Bogs are essential for regulating the climate, as they store large amounts of carbon in their peat, preventing this polluting gas from escaping into the air. Representing only 3% of the earth’s surface, wetlands contain twice as much CO2 as all forests combined, making them gigantic carbon sinks. However, once these lands are drained and exposed to oxygen, they release stored carbon, becoming sources of CO2 emissions, even exceeding emissions from all transportation in some regions.
To counteract this, marsh restoration actions are being carried out in Malchin using an approach called ‘malariculture’. Trenches have been dug in the area, and cattail seeds have been planted, allowing various species of animals to find their home here. In addition, the usefulness of cattails, whose solid stems are used as thermal insulation in homes, has been taken advantage of.
The German government is committed to wetland restoration and has earmarked significant funds to improve the country’s ecosystems through 2026. However, there are obstacles, as farmers need to be convinced of the importance of wetlands for the climate and offered viable livelihood alternatives, such as malaria farming.
Some farmers are already showing that wetland protection can be combined with agricultural activities. For example, Lorenz Kratzer has opted for extensive cattle farming in swampy areas, selling organic meat on short circuits.
Meline Brendel dreams of a world where no swamp dries up, aware of the crucial role these ecosystems play in combating climate change and conserving biodiversity. Her work and that of other committed scientists and farmers seek to preserve these valuable carbon sinks and restore wetlands to maintain their climate-regulating role and protect the environment.