23-Square-Mile Rewet: How North Carolina Ditch Repair Could Fix 130,000 Tons of CO2

The restoration of a 23-square-mile tract in North Carolina’s Inner Banks represents a significant intervention in climate policy. Investors and scientists are targeting this specific area to address the release of climate-warming carbon dioxide. The project aims to regenerate native habitat and stabilize the local ecosystem against environmental degradation.

A primary driver for this effort is the legacy of an abandoned farming venture. Decades ago, 50 miles of ditches or 80 kilometers of channels were dug to drain the land. These channels removed essential water from peat soil that has accumulated over thousands of years. This peat consists of partially decayed organic matter reaching depths of 15 feet or 4.6 meters.

The disruption of this hydrology has left the site vulnerable to drought and wildfires. It has also allowed the peatland to alter its native habitats and emit greenhouse gases. Specifically, the site releases 130,000 tons of carbon dioxide every single year. This volume highlights how degraded land functions as an active emitter of pollution.

The underlying doctrine of environmental preservation explains the urgency. Peatlands cover only 3 percent of the global land surface. Despite this small footprint, they store approximately one-third of the Earth’s carbon dioxide, which is more than all forests combined. When these systems are destroyed or burned, they cease to function as a carbon sink. Degraded peatlands now account for about 6 percent of the annual global total of greenhouse gases from all sources.