England Makes Wetlands a Priority

Large areas of wetland need to be created, protected and restored across England in the next 50 years if the country is to meet the challenges of the future, according to the Wetland Vision Partnership, an alliance of conservationists and government agencies, including the RSPB, The Wildlife Trusts, Natural England, the Environment Agency and English Heritage.

The partnership has produced a series of maps showing the loss and fragmentation of the country’s wetlands and where opportunities exist to create new ones.

Increasing pressure on land use and a changing climate mean wetlands need to be protected and extended to safeguard our heritage and wildlife, reduce flood risk to people and property and combat climate change by storing carbon. England has lost 90 percent of its wetlands in the last 1,000 years--much of them since the industrial revolution. Land drainage, river engineering and abstraction of water for homes and industry mean those that remain are often small and isolated. The maps and the information behind them will help target the restoration and creation of thousands of acres of reedbed, grazing marsh, ponds and wet grassland.

“We have created an extremely powerful tool to help restore England’s wetlands, which are among our most useful as well as our most beautiful landscapes," said Carrie Hume, Wetland Vision Partnership Manager. “Great efforts are already being made by groups involved in wetland conservation, but our vision signals a step change in ambition for the partners in the project. By showing what is possible and where, we can unlock the potential benefits for people and wildlife and inspire action to preserve and create wetlands across the landscape, from local ponds to wide expanses of fen.”

The hope is that as well as informing the partners’ work, the maps will be used by everyone from community groups and local authorities to farmers and water companies. "If we invest in wetlands, we will be richly rewarded," Hume said. “In the right places, wetlands offer natural flood water storage and improved water quality, lock away huge amounts of carbon, provide havens for wildlife and fantastic places for people to visit and enjoy. What is more, wetlands contain some of England’s most significant heritage, including the remains of plants and animals, which help us understand past environments and unique artifacts made from materials like wood or textiles, which are preserved in these wetland sites.”

Ann Skinner, the Environment Agency’s National Conservation Policy advisor, said: “In today's world we have forgotten just how important wetlands are to us, as we are no longer directly dependent on them," said Ann Skinner, the Environment Agency's national conservation policy advisor. "Not only are they naturally productive, they also help to store and cleanse floodwaters, trap sediments and process nutrients, recharge our aquifers and lock up carbon. By setting out a shared vision for the future with our partners on this ambitious project, the Environment Agency believes we can deliver a sustainable future for wetlands that people can enjoy and wildlife can thrive in, and one that will help us to face the challenges that lie ahead from climate change.”

Source: The Environment Agency - England and Wales