Could paludiculture be Ireland’s next big idea?

Farming on wet land instead of drained soils involves a shift in mindset, from battling nature to working with it. And in a country where bogs have shaped our past, paludiculture could play a role in shaping a more sustainable future

Degraded peatland can still be used for production, but in new and more sustainable ways. Pictures: Dr Douglas McMillan and Karine McMillan / Green Restoration Ireland

Ireland’s bogs give us a lot. They harbour unique biodiversity, lock away vast stores of carbon, and help to hold back floods. Yet we’ve also taken a lot from them. For generations they have heated our homes, fuelled power stations, and shaped rural culture.

Now, with climate targets tightening and farmers seeking resilient land uses in changing climate, attention is turning to the many bogs that were drained and converted to grassland. Raising water tables in these altered peatlands offers a way to cut emissions.