Environment Minister Wenzel visits Klasmann-Deilmann

Lower Saxony’s Environment Minister Stefan Wenzel visited Klasmann-Deilmann on a fact-finding mission about Sphagnum farming. Together with Members of State Parliament Gerd Will (SPD party), Bernd Carsten Hiebing and Reinhold Hilbers (both CDU) and District Council Member Norbert Knape (Alliance ’90/The Greens), Wenzel wished to obtain a first-hand impression of the project. At a meeting with Moritz Böcking, Managing Director of Klasmann-Deilmann, they discussed topics such as the future of the substrate industry in Lower Saxony.

Representing Klasmann-Deilmann, Bert von Seggern, Divisional Head of Land Use, and Project Leader Jan Köbbing informed the delegation about the progress to date and explained the challenges facing the project and the opportunities it presents. The seedlings which were planted last autumn had survived the winter well and more Sphagnum seedlings had been planted over the last few weeks. The challenge now was to stimulate growth on these extensive sites.

Speaking to NDR radio station, Stefan Wenzel pointed out that the protection of peatlands is a crucial factor in mitigating climate change. “This experiment is therefore a fascinating contribution as we explore future alternatives.” Moritz Böcking is optimistic that, apart from peat, the company will be able to increasingly use alternative resources in future: “We believe that we can join forces with the policymakers to find ways of growing new raw materials for our substrates and producing them right here in Lower Saxony.”

Böcking and Wenzel agreed to continue their talks on Lower Saxony’s substrate industry and pioneering research projects, such as Sphagnum farming.

 

Discussing Sphagnum farming as a pioneering project for substrate production (left to right): Reinhold Hilbers (Member of State Parliament (CDU)), Bert von Seggern and Jan Köbbing (both Klasmann-Deilmann), Gerd Will (Member of State Parliament (SPD)), Moritz Böcking (Managing Director Klasmann-Deilmann) and Environment Minister Stefan Wenzel (Alliance ’90/The Greens).