Solar Park on Rewetted Peatland in Northern Germany Records More Wetland and Woodland Bird Species but Equal Overall Richness to Nearby Hay Fields

Audio recorders at a 30-hectare solar park operated by Wattmanufactur on rewetted peatland in northern Germany detected more wetland and woodland bird species than two nearby regularly mown hay fields. Construction of sand-and-gravel roads at the site began in 2020. The roads blocked drainage ditches, allowing the field to re-accumulate water and revert to peatland.

Species richness was approximately equal between the solar park and the hay fields. Wetland species recorded inside the solar park included white wagtails, reed buntings and grey herons. Woodland species included tree pipits and Eurasian tree sparrows.

Grassland species such as the European goldfinch were recorded in the hay fields. A meadow pipit was photographed on the solar panels. Buzzards and kestrels were observed perching on the panels to hunt mice.

Hanna Rae Martens of the University of Greifswald stated that habitat was created for some endangered and wetland species. “A fear here is we destroy habitat, and in this case, it is not the case,” she said. Catherine Waite of the University of Cambridge stated that further research is needed to compare biodiversity with rewetted peatland without solar panels.

“Peatland PV could be a really good way to kind of help regenerate heavily degraded agricultural peat, but that doesn’t mean it would also be a good thing to put it on really healthy peatlands elsewhere,” she said. Ninety-five per cent of peatlands in Germany and 80 per cent in the UK have been degraded. The UK has restored 2,500 square kilometres of peatland.

Germany has restored far less. Germany barred solar farms on degraded peatland from receiving a minimum guaranteed electricity price starting in 2023.