History of the Conference

The upcoming conference is the fourth in a series of international conferences in Greifswald dealing with paludiculture. The first international conference on the use of wetland plants, RRR2013 (Reed as a Renewable Resource), took place in February 2013 and was attended by around 120 participants from 25 countries. The focus was on practical issues of paludiculture, results from current applied research and experiences from paludiculture projects worldwide. Important harvesting technology issues were discussed at the harvesting machinery exhibition (fair) on the Greifswald market square. The results of the first conference were summarized in a memorandum (MEMORANDUM).

The second international conference (RRR2017 - Renewable resources from wet and rewetted peatlands) with about 200 international participants followed in September 2017 to continue the dialogue on paludiculture and share the latest scientific developments. The conference week was introduced by a national event on climate protection and peatland utilistation, followed by an excursion day, continued by the two days international conference with presentations in 7 sessions and ended with a workshop on Sphagnum farming. At the end of the conference, a final declaration was agreed in plenary (RRR2017 - Moorwissen de). Other highlights of the conference were again an exhibition of machinery and paludiculture products as well as the art exhibition “Rumooren”.

The third international conference, which took place in March 2021, built on the themes of the previous RRR conferences. The focus was on the potential uses of paludi-biomass and the climate impact of peatlands. A particular challenge for the organizing committee was that the Covid pandemic did not allow a face-to-face meeting. It therefore took place online only. Nevertheless more than 300 people participated. Preparing the virtual excursions was a particular challenge (RRR2021 - Moorwissen de). In 8 inspiring virtual excursions (films of ca. 7 min each) demonstration sites for paludiculture and peatland restoration as well as paludiculture products in Germany and UK were presented. Other highlights were a literature evening with Hans Joosten, a Photography Workshop with Tina Claffey and the Slow Session: Paludiculture & Art.