Rewilding Middle EnglandThe Wetland Vision

Andrew HeatonEnvironment Agency

Wetland Benefits

Biodiversity Flood alleviation Water quality Water supply (groundwater recharge) Recreation Landscape Climate change

The Wetland Vision

EA/EN/RSPB/WTs Three stage process

Data gathering: where wetlands are, where they could be Development of maps identifying areas having future wetland

potential Options for achieving the wetland vision

Local communities, regional and other planning processes to use the Vision to protect and create wetlands Naturalness: how managed should rewetted sites be?

The Wetland Vision

Layers of data (eg soil types, flood potential)

identify future wetland potential

Step 1: overlaying environmental data sets

Step 2: summarising information (by catchment)

Step 3: proposing a way forward in any given area

Other Guidance

EMRBS - BEAs/SRCs focus for habitat creation

BEAs wetland focus

WM Landscapes for Living

Wetland opportunities in Middle England

East Midlands:

Lincolnshire Fens

Trent Valley

Soar Valley

Nene Park

Wetland opportunities in Middle England

West Midlands:

Trent Valley

Tame Valley

Severn/Vyrnwy Confluence

Severn and Avon Vales

Meres and Mosses

Wetland Opportunities in Middle England

Elsewhere:

Great Fen Project

Coastal Wetlands - Freiston, Alkborough

Severn Vale (Gloucestershire)

What might these Wetlands look like?

What might these Wetlands look like?

The Elephant in the Room

CLIMATE CHANGE water resources invasives future ecology

Rewetting Middle England

Landscape-scale approach Biodiversity Environmental services