“Innovatieprogramma Veen” – Individual plants in Nauerna

Earlier this year we took part in a pilot project named “Innovatieprogramma Veen” [Innovation Programme Peat], in which we supplied and planted individual Aqua-Flora® plants.

With this programme, agricultural nature association Water, Land & Dijken [Water, Land & Dykes] and nature conservation organisation Landschap Noord-Holland [Noord-Holland Scenery] attempt to counteract subsidence in the peatland regions. Using a practical approach, founded on an economic basis for agriculture, new types of operational management are experimented with. Have a look at their website http://www.innovatieprogrammaveen.nl/

But why change the methods we have been using for centuries?

“The peatland regions are commonly used as grassland. Lowering surface water has always been a widespread method of making dairy farming viable and achieving production revenue. However, this means that particularly in the warmer months oxidation arises, resulting in the peat settling. This process has been going on since the Middle Ages and could go on until all peat has been ‘burned up’. Subsidence furthermore contributes to the emission of CO2 and it also has a negative effect on the water quality. In addition, the costs for management and maintenance of the water infrastructure are high.” In other words, bad for the environment! This has to change!

The next step in the process? The plants will need some time to grow into the desired size before they can be harvested and further processed. Typha latifolia and augustifolia turned out to be highly versatile plants! They can be turned into construction material, insulation, bio energy and even fodder.

The part that we worked on is not ready to be harvested yet, but below you will find footage of a project location where the harvest has already been brought in.