15/10/2026
Small moss, big impact: exploring the bogs of Kaltenbronn
On 14 October, 16 LAS students from our Environmental and Sustainability Sciences Major and staff members travelled from Freiburg to Kaltenbronn in the northern Black Forest for a day of learning beyond the classroom. 🚌🌲
Guided by researcher Lars Borrass of the Freiburger Forschungs- und Versuchsanstalt (FVA ), the students explored the landscape from the Hohlohturm to the Hohlohsee and into the bog, learning about the lasting effects of human intervention. Drainage ditches dug between 1780 and 1880 for forestry still draw water away today, hindering the bog’s natural growth.
💧 One of the day’s key topics: The role peat moss plays in bog formation. The moss acts like a sponge, holding remarkable amounts of water. As its lower parts die and are preserved as peat, the bog can grow by around just 1 mm a year – slowly building an effective carbon storage.
The students also learned how the LIFE MooReKa project is working to restore the bog by blocking drainage ditches. The group could see the results of a ditch blocking pilot project firsthand: water is being retained, and peat moss is growing again. 🌱
After a sunny lunch break, an interactive exhibition at the information centre helped them deepen their understanding of this fascinating ecosystem.
A big thank you to Lars Borrass for his enthusiasm and for patiently answering many questions! The group returned to Freiburg with new knowledge, great memories and plenty to think about. 💚
