The Klimafarm in Erfde has made progress in managing wet peatland, but is still struggling to find buyers for its harvest. This is according to an interim assessment reported by Norddeutscher Rundfunk on 13 November 2026. The project in Schleswig-Holstein managed around 130 hectares in 2026. At the same time, according to the project management, around 500 tonnes of plant material were in storage, with buyers still being sought.
The Schleswig-Holstein Nature Conservation Foundation is using Klimafarm to test how peatland can be used after rewetting. The project, which runs until 2031, aims to show whether harvested plants can be turned into raw materials and thus create income opportunities for farmers. The University of Kielis also involved; the federal government is funding the project.
Further expansion of the area is under way. On 3 November 2026, the foundation announced work on a 60-hectare peatland area along the Wallener Au in Dithmarschen district . Drainage pipes are to be removed and ditches filled in, among other measures, to raise water levels. Once the work is complete, a total of 250 hectares in the project will have been rewetted, according to the foundation. The target for the full duration of the project is 400 hectares.
The wet management of peatlands is known as paludiculture . It differs from the use of drained land: a high water level is intended to preserve the peat and slow its decomposition. Plants such as reeds and sedges can still be harvested and used as raw materials. The project is therefore examining the link between climate protection and agricultural use, not just the technical process of rewetting.
Suitable methods and machinery had to be tested for the harvest. Those involved are developing packaging and other materials from the plant matter. According to Klimafarm, as reported by NDR, plant pots containing peatland plants and erosion-control mats have already been sold. However, the sales so far are not enough to shift the stored material, according to the project management.
For farms, alongside technical feasibility, it is crucial to know what income they might generate by changing their practices. The chair of the Schleswig District Farmers’ Association, Klaus-Peter Dau, told NDR that there was a lack of clarity about the returns for farms. In his view, reliable buyers and predictable prices are important before farms commit to a different use of their land.
The interim assessment therefore points to two different outcomes: harvesting on wet ground is possible within the project, but a viable market still needs to develop. For the second half of the project, Klimafarm therefore plans to work on markets, supply chains and quality standards, according to the NDR report. Whether this will lead to an economic model for more farms remains unclear.
Editor: Daniel Mayer (Article created with AI assistance).