What Is Paludiculture? Rewetting Peatlands for Climate-Friendly Farming

Reed cutting in Norfolk

Paludiculture is gaining attention as a climate-smart alternative to farming on drained peatlands. With the UK working to cut land use emissions, this practice offers a promising way to restore peat soils, reduce carbon loss, and still grow crops. By shifting how we think about wet land, paludiculture redefines the role of peatlands in sustainable agriculture.

Traditional farming methods often involve draining wetlands to grow crops or raise livestock. But this approach has serious consequences. Drained peat soils release vast amounts of carbon dioxide, accelerating climate change and degrading precious ecosystems.

Paludiculture offers a way to change course by turning these carbon-emitting landscapes into sites of climate mitigation, biodiversity recovery and rural opportunity.

What Is Paludiculture?

Paludiculture is the practice of farming on wet or rewetted peatlands. The word comes from the Latin palus, meaning swamp.

Rather than draining these areas to grow traditional crops, farmers cultivate species that thrive in waterlogged conditions. This approach challenges the idea that wetland is wasted land. Instead, it becomes a productive and climate-friendly space.

Importantly, paludiculture does not mean the end of farming. It means doing things differently. Keeping peat soils saturated helps lock in the carbon that has built up over millennia, while still making use of the land for biomass, materials or food. From moss to reeds to trees, a wide variety of wetland-adapted crops can be grown in a paludicultural system.

You can explore this topic further through our local action on restoring peatlands.

Why Drained Peatlands Are a Climate Problem

Peatlands hold vast stores of carbon, built up over thousands of years. When drained for agriculture, the peat begins to break down and releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. These emissions make drained peatlands one of the largest contributors to land use emissions in the UK, despite covering only a small percentage of land area.

The problem is not just carbon. Drying out peatlands also increases the risk of fires, causes the land to sink and leads to the loss of important wildlife habitat. Across the UK, drained peat soils are eroding and oxidising, often without visible signs until the damage is done.

Rewetting stops this degradation. It helps protect remaining peat layers, supports biodiversity and reduces the risk of soil loss and fires. Keeping water in the land is key to turning peatlands from a carbon source back into a carbon sink.

How Paludiculture Works

Paludiculture relies on high water tables. This means that fields are kept wet through natural rewetting, controlled water levels or careful land management. The crops grown in these systems are adapted to thrive in such conditions without the need for drainage.

Some examples of crops grown in paludiculture include:

• Reed canary grass, used for biomass, animal bedding and insulation
• Sphagnum moss, harvested for horticulture and compost alternatives
• Cattails (Typha), which can be processed into insulation, board materials or bioenergy
• Alder trees, suitable for timber production on wet soils

These species have multiple uses and can be integrated into supply chains for green building materials, landscaping, renewable energy and agriculture. Because they do not require soil drying, they help preserve the carbon stock in the peat below.

The Benefits of Wet Farming

Paludiculture offers a range of environmental, economic and social benefits. It addresses one of the most urgent climate issues in land use emissions from drained peat while offering farmers and landowners a way to adapt and remain productive.

Benefits include:

• Lower greenhouse gas emissions, as wet peat does not break down or release stored carbon
• Reduced risk of peat fires, since saturated peatlands are much less prone to ignition
• New wetland habitats, supporting birds, insects, amphibians and rare plant species
• Improved water storage, helping landscapes withstand drought and heavy rainfall
• Sustainable rural livelihoods, through innovative land management and product development

These benefits align with wider efforts to create climate-resilient landscapes, restore nature and build thriving rural economies.

Paludiculture Challenges and What’s Needed to Scale It

Despite its promise, paludiculture is still in the early stages in the UK. There are a number of challenges that need to be addressed in order for the practice to become widespread.

One key issue is awareness. Many people, including landowners and policymakers, are still unfamiliar with the concept. Traditional farming knowledge often centres on dryland systems, and wetland farming may seem counterintuitive.

There are also technical and economic hurdles. Machinery and infrastructure may need to be adapted. Markets for wetland crops are still emerging. And policies, subsidies and regulations have not always supported rewetting.

However, momentum is growing. Pilot schemes in England, Scotland and Wales are testing how paludiculture can work at scale. Natural England and other agencies are developing guidance, while some funding programmes are now supporting peatland restoration and wet farming. Universities and research centres are contributing evidence and innovation.

To move from pilot to practice, the sector will need clearer market signals, better coordination and long-term support. But the potential is there  and increasingly, so is the will.

Palidiculture FAQs

What is paludiculture?

Paludiculture is farming on wet or rewetted peatlands using crops that thrive in saturated conditions. It allows productive land use without draining peat soils, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and preserve carbon stores in the UK.

Why are peatlands important for the climate?

Peatlands are some of the UK’s most important carbon sinks. When kept wet, they store carbon that has built up over thousands of years. When drained, they emit carbon dioxide and degrade rapidly, contributing to climate change.

What crops can be grown through paludiculture?

Reed canary grass, sphagnum moss, cattails and alder trees are examples of crops suited to wet conditions. These can be used for bioenergy, horticulture, timber and natural materials.

What are the main barriers to wider adoption?

Lack of awareness, emerging markets, and uncertainty around long-term incentives are the biggest challenges. Machinery, training and guidance are also needed to help farmers transition.

Sources:

• https://www.paludiculture.org.uk/lpfprojectupdates
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lowland-agricultural-peat-water-for-peat-pilots/lowland-agricultural-peat-water-for-peat-pilots
• https://www.niab.com/news-views/blogs/supporting-and-developing-paludiculture-uk

About Carbon Copy

Carbon Copy exists to turn individual concern for climate and nature into collective impact by helping people connect locally and create real change together. We believe the fastest way to create change is to share it. We tap into a powerful truth: copying is human nature. When action is visible and easy to replicate, it spreads. It’s about people stepping in, inspired by what others have done and copying what works. Carbon Copy offers a place to start, with a national collection of climate action stories, place-by-place climate and nature plans, a popular podcast and blog, and capacity building for organisations across public, private and third sectors.