Botanica
Botanica focuses on nature restoration in degraded peatlands and similar (former) wetlands, with multiple benefits. One key focus therein lies in creating buffer zones through rewetting former peatlands used as grassland or similar agricultural use, where the only (agricultural) alternative lies in paludiculture, growing “wet” crops such as reeds and cattail. A second focus are restored peatlands and other wetlands.
The core mission of paludiculture is to cultivate wet and rewetted peatlands in a climate-friendly way, recognizing that drained peatlands release substantial amounts of human-induced greenhouse gases. Besides reducing emissions after rewetting, which lead to an increase in carbon capture in both soil and vegetation, the harvestable reeds and cattail and their fibres may be used in building materials such as laminates that can also store carbon (semi-) “permanently”, or at least long-term. Also, for freshwater usage and storage such fields can generate multiple benefits, as water buffers but also in their function as so-called helophyte filters, replacing mechanical wastewater plants in rural areas, with little to no infrastructure. Finally, as key element of “Botanica”, by adding bacteria to these filters they can take out specific pollutants, such micro-/meso- and nano plastics, or PFAS.
The great advantage of cattail is that the storage of PFAS and plastics is only in their root system and not in leaves, flowers or the typical fruit “cigars”. This means that the captured biomass above the ground can be harvested for fibres, while the root systems will be dredged out and (further) treated as chemical waste, or otherwise.
For the meanwhile ca. 2,000 hectares (+ at least an equivalent amount in benches in small waterways, mainly NL) already a total amount of 0.1 to 0.2 Mt CO2-eq./year of carbon savings and storage is calculated for the initial stage of 3 years: roughly 30-40% avoided emissions, 40-50% sequestration in plants, remaining in biochar/soil carbon. This will most likely increase towards several MT/yr, when 10,000s of hectares are added in the following 5-10 years, given the projects already contacted in other countries in- and outside Europe.
Through upscaling to cover much larger areas, also fully restored peatbogs now have been included, in which larger amounts of carbon will be stored. Meanwhile 15+ partners in 10+ countries are already involved.
This will allow for a “moonshot” type of project, with a large impact in the long-term, both in terms of carbon storage, but also water quality and biodiversity in restored areas.