The Future of Peatlands – FuturePeat

Project description

Objective

Peatlands are rare and fragile ecosystems: only about 1 % of Switzerland’s original peatlands remain intact. Most have been drained for agriculture, which releases large amounts of CO₂ and harms water quality. Climate change makes conservation even more urgent and challenging. Cultivating rewetted peat soils, an approach known as paludiculture, can reduce emissions and protect biodiversity. But it also requires shifts in farming practices, bringing social, economic and legal challenges.

FuturePeat aims to co-develop long-term strategies for managing Swiss peatlands and cultivated peat soils that balance farming, biodiversity, water resources and carbon storage. By working with farmers, policymakers, scientists and local communities, the project will design and test solutions that are practical, fair and sustainable.

Relevance

The crisis of disappearing cultivated peat soils is also an opportunity. By rethinking how these landscapes are managed, Switzerland can protect biodiversity, cut carbon emissions, safeguard water resources and strengthen sustainable agriculture while also helping better protect the remaining peatlands. The project’s outcomes will help the country meet international commitments on climate and biodiversity conservation.

Transdisciplinary Approach

FuturePeat uses social science tools to understand what makes change acceptable and how common ground can be built. In workshops, the knowledge and concerns of all stakeholders are given equal weight, ensuring constructive dialogue. Together, they will agree on shared long-term goals and map the steps needed to reach them. This process will improve peatland management today and in the future. Beyond peatlands, the methods developed can be applied to other complex environmental challenges.