Rewetting of drained peat soils – for the climate and increased biodiversity
Did you know that ditches on peatland contribute to increased greenhouse gas emissions? As an owner of such land, you can make an important contribution for the climate by allowing the Swedish Forest Agency to plug the ditches through a Rewetting Agreement. Rewetting is also good for biodiversity.
Lowered water table makes the peat steadily decompose, and the carbon of the peat is then emitted as carbon dioxide. As an owner of such land, you can make an important contribution for the climate by allowing the Swedish Forest Agency to plug the ditches through a Rewetting Agreement. This raises the groundwater level, wets the peat and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The result will be a moist soil forest with swamp forest in the center, rather than a waterlogged area. Rewetting is also good for biodiversity. Birds, amphibians, bats, insects and several game species can thrive in the moist environments that are recreated. You will receive a certain financial compensation for reduced land value.
Agreement and economic compensation
As the owner of a suitable land area for rewetting, you can sign a Rewetting Agreement with the Swedish Forest Agency. The purpose of the agreement is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from land management. The agreement is valid for fifty years and follows the property if sold. You will receive compensation for the decrease in land value that follows the increased water table; reduced forest growth and increased costs of timber transportation. The compensation amount is based on the fertility of the land. The largest compensations are given for the peat soil that emits most greenhouse gases.
This is the procedure
You announce a potential interest in a rewetting agreement for a certain area. If the land area is determined suitable after careful hydrological and field analyses, the Swedish Forest Agency, in consultation with you, plans how the rewetting will be carried out. If you are satisfied with the terms, you sign the rewetting agreement and receive the determined compensation amount, see table below. If you intend to harvest wood on the area, fully or partially, before the ditches are plugged, you will be given time to do so. The forest does not need to have reached ‘least allowed age’ for clearcutting. Thereafter, the Swedish Forest Agency will organize and cover the costs for the ditch plugging. No active regeneration actions are required in these cases. The water table will increase fast, simultaneously stopping the net peat decomposition.
Be a Climate Hero
Do you own drained peatland? Are you interested in rewetting the land and making an important contribution to the climate? You are welcome to contact the Swedish Forest Agency!
There you can also submit an interest in signing a rewetting agreement. By doing so, you are not committing yourself to signing anything. We will then contact you and discuss further.
You can also call the Swedish Forest Agency's switchboard, 010-172 10 00. Ask to speak to a Rewetting Planner of your district.