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NEWS AND BLOG
Bernd Haynold
If you have something you would like to share with the community please send it to paludiculture@niab.com. Remember to include high resolution pictures and figures if appropriate.


Building a Peatland-Positive Future: Funding and Policy Updates for 2026–2030
England’s peatlands are on the brink of transformation. These landscapes hold the key to cutting greenhouse gas emissions, boosting biodiversity, and building farm resilience. With the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2025 setting bold restoration targets and new funding streams announced for 2026–2030. For more information, see the Defra Lowland Peat Newsletter The Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2025 , published on 1 December, aims to rest

Douglas Hobbs
Dec 19, 20252 min read


Unlocking Typha: How to Boost Fibre Production to Create Sustainable Textiles
A summary of the excellent webinar presented by Islam Abdel-Aziz, exploring how to increase Typha latifolia seed‑head production to boost fibre yields. A copy of the slides used in this webinar can be downloaded as a PDF here>> To make wetlands work for farmers and the climate, we need wet‑grown crops that are productive, reliable, and simple to manage. The latest ADAS trials with Typha latifolia (common cattail) explore how planting density, depth, rhizome maturity, and in

Douglas Hobbs
Dec 10, 20255 min read


Strengthening the Evidence Base for Peatland Policy in England
The IUCN UK Peatland Programme (IUCN UK PP) is pleased to launch the Expression of Interest (EOI) process for a major Defra-commissioned project: Strengthening the Evidence Base for Peatland Policy in England (November 2025–March 2027). As an individual or organisation involved in peatland restoration, IUCN UK PP invite you to review the topics proposed and submit an expression of interest if your organisation would like to be involved. This substantial review aims to synthe

Douglas Hobbs
Dec 4, 20252 min read


Peatlands: England’s Hidden Climate Heroes
Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 - GOV.UK . When we think about climate action, forests and renewable energy often steal the spotlight. But beneath our feet lies one of the most powerful natural tools for tackling climate change: peatlands . These waterlogged landscapes store more carbon than all the world’s forests combined. Yet, when degraded, they release greenhouse gases, turning from climate allies into climate culprits. That’s why the UK government’s Environmental Im

Douglas Hobbs
Dec 2, 20252 min read


Immersive Virtual Drone Planting Experience
ARU-Peterbough are giving a free opportunity to experience drone planting in the environment and for agriculture. Time & Location 05 Dec 2025, 13:30 Peterborough Research Innovation Centre, Bishop's Rd, Peterborough PE1, UK Booking will close on Tues 2 nd Dec 5pm, places are limited. To book email Joanna.Bellett-Travers@aru.ac.uk , The Head of Agri and Environment Drones SIG for ARPAS-UK, will be at the event to answer questions. The Immersive Virtual Drone Planting Event wi

Douglas Hobbs
Dec 2, 20251 min read


Paludiculture Gains European Spotlight on Euronews
Euronews highlights the Palus Demos project at Ballaghurt Bog, demonstrating paludiculture’s potential to align peatland rewetting with economically viable biomass production. Paludiculture — the productive use of wet soils — is emerging as a transformative approach to farming across Europe, with promising benefits for both agriculture and water quality. This potential was recently highlighted in The Road to Green , a Euronews TV series hosted by Cyril Fournier, which explore

Douglas Hobbs
Nov 7, 20251 min read


Recommended reading from Lancashire Wildlife Trust
Image: Lancashire Wildlife Trust Fashion’s hidden footprint and how peatlands can help Liv Symes from materials science company Ponda® explores the environmental cost of fast fashion and how their Biopuff® material is supporting peatland restoration in the North West. 🔗 https://www.lancswt.org.uk/blog/guest/fashions-hidden-footprint-and-how-peatlands-can-help Historic harvest underway for boggy bulrush trial in Manchester A blog from the end of September celebrating the fi

Douglas Hobbs
Oct 30, 20251 min read


Paludi4All promising species survey
The Paludi4All project is after some information to help them identify promising species and value chains that can support climate mitigation and rural development. To help them in this study, they would like you to complete their survey . The survey focuses on 13 species, or species‑groups, identified in prior research as having potential as paludiculture crops in temperate zones of Europe (Abel, S. & Kallweit, T. (2022) Potential Paludiculture Plants of the Holarctic. Pag

Douglas Hobbs
Oct 21, 20251 min read


The Fenland Flora: Survival against the odds
The Fenland Flora: Survival against the odds Webinar: Monday, November 17 1 – 2 pm Owen Mountford (joint coordinator with Jon Graham of the Fenland Flora project) is delivering a webinar that provides an overview of the Fenland Flora project. Since 2005, the project has been surveying the Fens, documenting the history and current state of wild plants, emphasising the region’s importance, especially for aquatic plants. Click here to register

Douglas Hobbs
Oct 14, 20251 min read


Rice production in the Fens
The UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), are running a trial comparing the suitability of different rice varieties for production...

Douglas Hobbs
Sep 29, 20251 min read


Holker Farm Estate win at the Cumbria Farmer Awards 2025
The Holker Farm Estate has received the prestigious sustainability and environmental award at the 2025 Cumbria Farmer Awards in...

Douglas Hobbs
Sep 26, 20251 min read


Managing carbon and water in lowland landscapes
The Broads Authority has opened registration for a one-day conference at the UEA, Norwich. "Managing carbon and water in lowland...

Douglas Hobbs
Sep 23, 20251 min read


Managing for a sustainable future: Cropping systems on drained lowland peat
Niab has been working with WWF and Fenland Soil to explore and support more sustainable cropping systems on lowland peat soils. This work...

Elizabeth Stockdale
Aug 1, 20251 min read


Thirst: In Search of Freshwater
26 June 2025 – 1 February 2026, The Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE The Wellcome Trust have a free exhibition...

Douglas Hobbs
Jul 17, 20251 min read


Peatland Management Course
Two online training modules targeted specifically at farm advisers in both the lowlands and uplands on the BASIS professional register....

Douglas Hobbs
Jun 24, 20251 min read


Paludiculture at Groundswell Regenerative Agriculture Festival
The Groundswell Festival Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd July 2025 at Lannock Manor Farm, just off Junction 9 of the A1(M). The postcode...

Douglas Hobbs
Jun 17, 20252 min read


Impacts of paludiculture on the natural environment:a scoping report
Taylor NG & Stockdale EA (2025) Impacts of paludiculture on the natural environment: a scoping report . Report to Natural England....

Douglas Hobbs
Jun 9, 20251 min read


Raising the water table at Langley Abbey to protect peat | Paludiculture in the Broads National Park
New video from the Broads National Park A new video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPn17SAqb9I ) has been released by the Broads...

Douglas Hobbs
Jun 5, 20251 min read


Paludiculture Community Workshop: Day 2
Elizabeth has worked through the notes from the second day of the Paludiculture Workshop at Bridgwater and we have published them on the...

Douglas Hobbs
May 7, 20251 min read


Paludiculture Community Workshop 2025
The Canalside, Marsh Lane, Bridgwater, Somerset. TA6 6LQ Without this turning into something akin to an award ceremony acceptance speech...

Douglas Hobbs
Apr 17, 20251 min read
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