In the Sealand region of Switzerland, between the lakes of Bienne, Neuchâtel, and Morat, the ground has been sinking for over 150 years due to a drainage project that began in 1868. This subsidence is caused by the gradual breakdown of peat soil, which is a type of wet, organic soil formed from decomposed plant matter over thousands of years. Each year, the land sinks by 1 to 2 centimeters, with some areas having dropped as much as 2.4 meters. Because of this, the cultivated land now lies below the surrounding lakes, requiring the use of pumping stations to keep water from turning fields into ponds. This process also releases carbon dioxide and methane, both potent greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. The drainage project, called the Jura Water Correction, was designed to transform the waterlogged Grand Marais wetland—once covering 62.5 square kilometers—into arable land. This effort was successful in making the region one of Switzerland's leading producers of vegetables, supplying a quarter of the country's vegetable consumption. However, the long-term consequences of the project have raised environmental concerns, particularly as the peat continues to break down and release carbon into the atmosphere. Peat soil is particularly sensitive to exposure to air. When drained, it begins to oxidize, breaking down and causing the ground to sink. This process has been made worse by the historical use of peat as fuel, with a specialized company established in 1917 to manage its large-scale extraction. As a result, the land has continued to subside, with researchers measuring the change by comparing old maps from 1920 to current data. Peat is one of the largest natural reservoirs of carbon on Earth, and its oxidation releases significant amounts of greenhouse gases, making the situation a growing environmental concern. To address these issues, scientists and local authorities are exploring ways to slow the degradation of the peat soil. These include managing water levels more carefully and restoring parts of the land to its original wetland state, which could halt the oxidation process. However, these solutions require balancing the immediate need for agricultural production with the long-term goal of preserving the soil. The future of the region will depend on how successfully these competing priorities can be addressed.