The moor landscape in the north of Munich is to be given greater attention in terms of its importance for climate protection. The city of Unterschleißheim is participating in the financing of a feasibility study, which should show whether and how activities to protect the moors can enable voluntary, regional compensation for carbon dioxide emissions. The association “Dachauer Moos” and the regional development association “Dachau Agil” wrote to the Unterschleißheim town hall in mid-September and asked for a financial contribution to the project idea “Regional CO₂ partnerships”.
The city will provide this support. It is about a contribution of around 1500 euros according to the proposed rate of five cents per inhabitant. The association “Dachau Agil” and the “Local Action Group Middle Isar Region” “LAG” based in Freising want to commission the feasibility study.
The draining of moors in the north of Munich released large amounts of CO₂. This can be seen in the landscape west of Unterschleißheim. Last week the Dachauer Moos Association, to which Unterschleißheim and Oberschleißheim belong, set up four new information boards near Riedmoos explaining how the moor has been damaged since the 18th century. Drainage ditches were dug, streams of moss were straightened and deepened. As a result, areas near Riedmoos were still damp until a few decades ago. But at the beginning of the 1960s the Schwebelbach was dredged. The groundwater level has sunk and is now one to two meters below the floor. With the result that the peat decomposes and large amounts of greenhouse gases are released.
The aim of the study that is now being targeted is to examine how arable farming and afforestation can contribute to the build-up of humus. Municipalities, companies and private individuals should be able to offset their unavoidable CO₂ emissions by purchasing proof that campaigns have contributed to saving carbon dioxide. “This project would create a regional, transparent and manageable plan in which buyers can invest,” said the city of Unterschleißheim. In addition, moor protection and moor renaturation not only compensate for CO₂, but also increase the recreational value of the landscape and make a contribution to biodiversity.