Climate & Environment
Wetland Restoration
Definition
Wetland restoration is the active recovery of degraded wetland ecosystems, typically by rewetting drained soils, removing drainage infrastructure, re-establishing native vegetation and reconnecting floodplains. It reverses historical conversion and reinstates carbon storage, water regulation and habitat functions.
References
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This reference provides supporting context for how “Wetland Restoration” is defined and used.
Overview
How it is used
The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and national peatland strategies fund large-scale programmes; carbon standards credit peatland rewetting; catchment authorities restore floodplain wetlands for flood management; companies invest in wetland restoration as nature-based climate projects.
Why it matters
Drained wetlands are major emission sources and lost natural infrastructure. Restoration is among the most cost-effective ways to cut land-sector emissions and rebuild ecosystem services.