Master’s Student Receives Award for Thesis on Peatland Restoration in Germany

Peatlands are a powerful tool in the fight against climate change, but many are unaware of their power. They act as a carbon sink absorbing CO2 that could enter our atmosphere and warm our planet. However, Peatlands are disappearing due to land degradation, drought, land loss for agriculture and more. It is an issue that matters to Master’s in Geography of Environmental Risks and Human Security alumna Jana Balzer, who just won the German NGO BUND’s Research Award for her master’s thesis on the topic.

“I was fond of these landscapes as a kid, and I can remember visiting them on trips and excursions, growing up in Germany”, said Balzer. “I did not truly understand their importance until the Master’s Programme.” 

This deeper connection began while participating in a project as part of the programme’s independent research seminar with the University of Bonn. The class looked at the Alder Swamp Forest, an area of the Bergische Heiderterrasse, a heathland just northeast of the city of Bonn. The students explored sites for potential restoration. Initially motivated to get field experience, her interest grew after several visits.

“The ecosystem is incredibly diverse. Some parts are waterlogged and timbered. Others are full of wild grasses, shrubs and wildflowers”, she said. ‘’Unfortunately, some areas weren’t in great shape.’’

Each student was tasked with a different area to analyse. In the end, they found that a vast majority of the sites needed restoration. She was surprised to hear at the end of the seminar that restorative work was unlikely to occur in nearly half of the peatlands, despite the prime opportunity.

Taken aback, Balzer wondered why that could be and set out to find barriers and enablers to peatland restoration for her master’s thesis. 

Following the recommendation of a peatland restoration coordinator at BUND, she focused her research on a different area of the Bergische Heiderterrasse, the Lohmar Forest. The site offered peatland areas, several historical ponds and two rivers – a dynamic area for her research. She connected with three long-time local experts: the state forester, the pond manager and a local conservationist, who supported her in carrying out a qualitative analysis of the area.

During her field visits, they individually showed her areas suitable for restoration and she saw first-hand the actions they were already taking. In her words, she got to see the “the hidden parts.” 

The forester showed her a rare peatland which was unseen behind thick shrubs and timber. He had been rewetting this particular patch, by blocking drainage channels made during Prussian times with potato sacks full of sawdust for nearly 20 years. On the other hand, the pond manager and conservationist showed her the historical ponds and streams, which have been there for centuries and are vital for retaining water.

Inspired by their work, Balzer identified one of the first enablers to restoration – local knowledge. She also noted their self-initiation, creative solutions and their established trust as enablers.

She observed nature’s interconnectivity at work. For instance, the streams and ponds needed continual maintenance, presenting a challenge to the overall health of the ecosystem. In the case of the stream, its bed had degraded over extensive periods of overuse and dryness. This meant water could be less well retained in the soil for the peatland and the forest. Likewise, the pond needed a consistent level of water to provide the area. Therefore, she concluded that peatland restoration there hinged on stream restoration and pond management. 

A deeper analysis of this revealed crucial barriers: competing needs for water use, complicated water regulations and insecure and short-term funding. Additionally, having personnel to carry out activities was a significant hurdle, especially in times of heavy rain and flooding, which require someone to check on the land. This concerned the local pond manager, who was unsure how much longer he could take on this work alone and worried about who would do it after him. 

“Working with the local experts was a highlight”, Balzer said. “I got to understand what restoration work looks like in practice, and to see their passion and commitment for taking care of the land.”

This helped her conclude her final barrier – a lack of public awareness on the importance of peatlands to a healthy environment and the crucial need for their restoration.

“They can be perceived as not being valuable pieces of land. More people should acknowledge these amazing, beautiful landscapes”, she said. 
According to BUND, one of the oldest environmentally focused NGO’s in Germany, Balzer’s thesis received the award for the Master’s thesis category for its “high quality and great practical relevance."

Read more about the BUND Research Awards here (In German). Applications to the Master’s Programme are currently open until 15 December. Click here to apply.