{"id":14962,"date":"2022-03-14T12:23:17","date_gmt":"2022-03-14T11:23:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/?p=15676"},"modified":"2022-03-14T15:46:14","modified_gmt":"2022-03-14T14:46:14","slug":"what-is-a-wetland-and-why-do-they-matter","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/what-is-a-wetland-and-why-do-they-matter\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a wetland and why do they matter?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By countryfile\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 14 March 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Marsh and mud have often received a bad press. In centuries past, coastal mudflats and marshes were thought of as derelict, even dangerous, places \u2013 scenes of criminal escapes and smuggled cargos landed.<\/p>\n

But over the last few decades, we have been turning things around. It might not be a \u2018revolution\u2019, but marshes and mud have been making a definite comeback. The creation of new wetlands, such as WWT Steart Marshes in Dorset, and the floodwater plain in Salford, is just one of the ways we\u2019re recognising these nationally important environments.<\/p>\n

\""Salford_elevated-view5B15D-8b7d664"\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
An aerial view of the new flood scheme opened in Salford in 2018, which includes 5 ha of urban wetland\/Credit: Environment Agency<\/sub><\/em><\/div>\n

What exactly is a wetland and why do they matter so much?<\/h2>\n

The term \u2018wetlands\u2019 covers a range of ecosystems that thrive where water regularly covers land, like salt marshes, peat bogs and fens. They\u2019re vital to the overall health of the water environment and have a number of benefits for nature and society.<\/p>\n

Wetlands can serve as natural buffers for flooding, by soaking up and storing excess water, and slow the flow of water as it moves through a catchment. They may work as a natural filter, effectively removing pollutants, extra sediment or soil, and excess nutrients from the water.<\/p>\n

Coastal wetlands and those on peaty soil can capture and store significant amounts of carbon. And the ecosystems that thrive there are some of the most biologically diverse in the world, providing a stepping stone between dry land and open water and supporting abundant fisheries and wildlife.<\/p>\n

On the coast<\/strong><\/p>\n

Earlier this year we finished work on\u00a0Hesketh<\/a>\u00a0on the Ribble Estuary in Lancashire, where we restored 154 hectares of land to its former glory of gurgling creeks crowned with sea aster, cord grass and the soulful call of redshank.<\/p>\n

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Work was carried out at\u00a0<a href=\u201dhttps:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/news\/flood-risk-reduced-and-wildlife-brimming-over-on-the-ribble\u201d>Hesketh<\/a>\u00a0on the Ribble Estuary in Lancashire\/Credit: Environment Agency<\/sub><\/em><\/div>\n

Hesketh was one of the last pockets of land to be \u2018conquered\u2019 in the name of the agricultural revolution and the post-war project for food security. It was land that \u2018wanted to be wet\u2019, and growing crops at this vulnerable bend in the estuary was always going to test the resolve of the \u2018drain and defend\u2019 approach to England\u2019s marginal land.<\/p>\n

Now, this area of inter-tidal wildlife habitat supports breeding avocet as well as flocks of wigeon, teal, shelduck golden plover and lapwing in the winter, thanks to work by the Environment Agency and the RSPB to complete a \u00a36m managed realignment scheme there \u2013 one of the largest in the country.<\/p>\n

\u2018Managed re-alignment\u2019, which describes the setting back of existing defences either to naturally-rising ground or to a new set of flood banks, used to be a dirty word for many. In the 10 years I\u2019ve been working in coastal management \u2013 since 2009 as the Environment Agency\u2019s national senior coastal adviser \u2013 I\u2019ve seen a progressive shift in attitudes. Re-alignment, instead of being seen as representing \u2018giving in\u2019 to sea level rise or \u2018giving up\u2019 productive land, is increasingly seen as\u00a0advancing<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 advancing our natural resources, local economies and quality of life.<\/p>\n

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