Lecture Mark Raat: 'History of the Frisian peat meadow area (1600-1970)'

About the lecture

The future of the Low Middle is a topical issue. In 2021, Frisian authorities decided to gradually raise the water level. This decision breaks with the past, as Frisians have worked for centuries to reclaim peatland and keep farmland dry. Mark Raat delved into the history of political decision-making about the Peat Meadow Area. He places the current challenges facing the area in a historical context: what can we learn from the past?

After the lecture, Geart Benedicstus, agricultural representative at Bestjoerlik Oerlis Feangreide, will share his insights on the topic.

About Mark Raat

Mark Raat (Medemblik, 1988) studied history at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Between 2015 and 2019, he worked as a historical researcher at the Fryske Akademy for the HisGIS Time Machine projects, and since January 2021 he has been a PhD candidate.

His PhD research focuses on the long-term historical development of the Frisian peat meadow area (ca. 1600-1970). He is supervised by Prof. Marijn Molema and Prof. Hans Mol. It is a collaborative project between the Fryske Akademy and the Fries Planbureau, which ties in with a project by the Inspiratieteam Toekomst Veenweide (Peat Meadow Future Inspiration Team) and the Alde Feanen National Park.

Practical information

Location: Fries Landbouwmuseum (Frisian Agricultural Museum), Leeuwarden
Date: Friday 20 February 2026 
Time: doors open at 13:30, start at 14:00. 
Admission: Free for friends of the Fries Landbouwmuseum, donors to the Fryske Akademy and holders of a Museumjaarkaart. Others: €12.