Failed farm cut 50 miles of ditches; scientists now plan to reflood peatland

For thousands of years, layers of partially decomposed plants accumulated beneath a vast wetland in North Carolina, creating a deep store of carbon. That changed when an abandoned farming venture carved about 50 miles of drainage ditches through the land, lowering the water table and exposing the ancient peat to air. The 23-square-mile tract near Belhaven is now much more vulnerable to drought, decomposition and wildfire. The degraded peatland also releases an estimated 130,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year, turning what was once a long-term carbon store into a source of greenhouse gas emissions. According to The Associated Press (AP), scientists and investors are now working to reverse that damage by restoring water to the landscape. Colorado-based Pantheon Regeneration plans to block drainage ditches, raise the water table and restore native vegetation across the property.