Peatland protection plays a crucial role in climate protection and the preservation of biodiversity. However, there are still challenges and uncertainties in the planning and permitting of peatland rewetting projects at the state level. To address these challenges, a workshop for permitting authorities and project sponsors of peatland rewetting projects was held on 23 May 2024 in Hanover. The workshop was moderated by Dr. Ulf Stein from Ecologic Institute.

The workshop provided a platform for the exchange and networking of project sponsors, practitioners, and permitting authorities. Discussions focused on opportunities and potential simplifications of planning processes and permitting procedures for rewetting projects. As a result, a guideline was developed to accelerate planning and permitting for peatland climate protection in Lower Saxony, based on the existing guideline for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern [German]. This guideline will now be discussed and further developed in additional internal rounds with experts and is expected to be published in autumn 2024.

The workshop was part of the project MoorNet for the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, which supports the implementation of the National Peatland Protection Strategy and networks stakeholders in Germany. It was conducted in collaboration with the Lower Saxony State Agency for Water Management, Coastal and Nature Conservation (NLWKN) and the joint project MoKKa (Peatland Climate Protection through Capacity Building).