In the Grote Beek valley, Natuurpunt will start a new form of agriculture: paludiculture or wet agriculture. An investment of 2 million euros with which they want to restore 130 hectares of peat, good for approximately 1.000 tons less CO2 in the air and soil every year. The intention is to grow willows together with a local farmer. The wood can be used as biomass in power stations, or the wood fibers can be made into ecological insulation material. A first test planting has been planted in Beverlo, on the border with Heppen.
Natuurpunt will now restore 130 hectares of peat by improving the water management in the area. This will be done by filling in the drainage ditches so that the water can be reabsorbed by the soil. But Natuurpunt is convinced that agriculture can also be practiced in the area and wants to demonstrate with wet agriculture that nature and agriculture are by definition not contradictory.
Cyr Mestdagh from Natuurpunt on Radio 2 Limburg: “But in an alternative way, with paludiculture or wet agriculture. We want to grow willows there, because they can grow on wet soil. They can be processed in biomass plants, into animal feed and their fibers can also be used as stable bedding. But it can also be made into ecological insulation material, which is just as good as the classic glass wool that we use now.”
Source: Internetgazet.be
