On October 4, 2024, at the official launch of the joint project “Peatland Climate Protection at the Baltic Sea Coast” run by the IOW and the University of Greifswald, Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke and MV Environment Minister Till Backhaus visited a restored coastal peatland at Bresewitz Bodden. They brought with them the notifications for federal and state grants of about 28 million euros for the 10-year research project, which is being realised on twelve diked coastal polders between Rostock and the Polish Baltic Sea covering a total of 850 hectares. The joint project is being coordinated by the Baltic Sea Foundation.

The aim of the model project, which is part of the Federal Action Programme for Natural Climate Protection, is to significantly reduce the persistent release of greenhouse gases through practical moorland restoration measures – by up to 24,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. In addition, research will be carried out into whether and how climate-friendly land use can be established on these areas. The extensive research on nutrient cycles, greenhouse gas emissions and carbon exchange, that will accompany the restoration measures, as well as the long project duration (2024 - 2034) offer the unique opportunity to gain reliable conclusions about the actual reduction of harmful climate gases and the fate of nutrients after the restoration of coastal moors. “Previous work in coastal polders has shown that the soils are highly compacted and still contain and release nutrients years later. What happens to this legacy pollution and how it can be reduced in a natural way – that will particularly be our task,” said biogeochemist Maren Voß at the project kick-off. She is responsible for the IOW part of the project. The first measurements are scheduled for this winter.