Healthy wetlands store carbon and slow the flow of water, cleaning it naturally and reducing flood risk downstream. They support an abundance of plant life, which in turn provide perfect shelter, nurseries and breeding grounds for wildlife.
The rain-drenched lands of the UK offer perfect conditions for the formation of wetlands. These places where water and dry land meet are home to a wide range of species, from dragonflies and damselflies, to wading curlew and snipe; from carnivorous plants to flitting butterflies. Wetlands are fantastic places to spot a huge variety of birds, so make sure that you take your binoculars along with you.
Plant matter steadily decays and accumulates in the waterlogged conditions of wetlands, meaning they are hugely important for holding carbon. However, the ability of a freshwater wetland habitat to capture carbon varies according to the condition of the wetland. Good management is critical to ensuring that the habitat can store more carbon for years to come. It is also vital that our remaining high-quality wetlands are protected, as it can take decades for restored wetlands to be able to draw down carbon at the same rate as natural wetlands. Read more.
Most wetlands are peat-forming. When the ground is too wet for vegetation to decompose, a dark, organic matter called peat forms. This very slow growing material is an extremely important habitat for plants, such as sundew and marsh violet, which in turn support invertebrate and bird populations. As well as providing a valuable habitat for wildlife, peatlands are ‘carbon sinks’, removing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it. They’re also vital forms of flood defence and water purification. Peat acts as a sponge, absorbing rain, snowmelt and mist, then gradually releasing it back. This regulates the flow of rivers, reducing flooding after storms and maintaining flow in dry weather. Wetlands filter water too, improving the quality. Read more.
Many wetlands are dynamic and if left alone, over long time spans, would develop into a different wetland type, or into woodland. However, the traditional management of wetlands stopped this process, allowing species that live in these areas to flourish and thrive. This included harvesting sedge and reed for thatch, and cutting and drying peat for fuel.
In more recent years, the traditional management of wetlands has been replaced by industrial-scale use. Raised bogs especially have been (and in some places still are being) destroyed or degraded through industrial peat-cutting for fuel or use in gardens.
Wetlands vary greatly. Some wetlands are very extensive, such as blanket bog, while others are naturally more localised, such as upland spring and flush. In other cases, particularly in the lowlands, drainage and industrial-scale peat-cutting has reduced or destroyed many wetlands. Areas of raised bog, fen and reedbed are now a fraction of what they once were.
Some types of wetlands are now legally protected, but many are still not in good condition. The Wildlife Trusts campaign to raise awareness of the value of wetland habitats and the threats that they face. We work to prevent further loss of our lowland raised bogs by looking after many areas as nature reserves. We are currently restoring areas that have deteriorated and working with landowners and farmers to promote wildlife-friendly practices on their wetland areas.
This small summer migrant travels from Africa to breed in the reedbeds of the UK. Rarely seen but given away by its insect like trilling call; the movement of the head during calling makes it tricky to pinpoint the exact location of singing perch.
As the UK’s tallest bird the common crane is instantly recognisable with the ruffle of tail feathers and very long legs. Their bugling call is also very distinctive.
This beautiful moth is often found resting on leaves, though it does also fly during the day.
Blink and you may miss the fantastic kingfisher! This beautiful bird is easy to recognise thanks to its bright blue and metallic copper colours. It darts along the riverbank or sits patiently on a low branch over the water waiting for its next meal to swim by.
The courtship of the marsh harrier is certainly a sight to behold - wheeling and tumbling through the sky, male and female partners lock talons in mid-air. Look out for this rare bird over reedbeds in East Anglia, Somerset and the South East.
The hen harrier has been severely persecuted for taking game species and has suffered massive declines in numbers as a result. Thankfully, conservation projects are underway to reduce conflict surrounding its controversial prey.
This large, brown beetle can be seen swarming around streetlights in spring. They live underground as larvae for years and emerge as adults often in large numbers. Listen for their characteristic buzzing sound.
Our most well-known amphibian, the common frog is a regular visitor to garden ponds across the country, where they feast on slugs and snails. In winter, they hibernate in pond mud or under log piles.
Conningbrook Lakes is made up of a series of lakes, ponds, river, wet woodland and grasslands – creating a great place for a riverside stroll, and host to a variety of wildlife.
In the winter, South Swale welcomes migrating birds such as brent geese, turnstones, dunlin, avocets, osytercatchers and ringed plovers. In the summer, it's home to carpets of flowers which attract butterflies and some rare bee species!
Listen to the rolling waves on the sand and shingle, breathe in the saline scents of the saltmarsh, and watch the wonderful wildlife this very important and sensitive National Nature Reserve has to offer.
Oare Marshes is an international importance for migratory, overwintering and breeding wetland birds, the reserve consists of grazing marsh (one of a few left in Kent).
Lying along the edge of the river Medway, this patchwork of wet fields and scrub is criss-crossed by ditches and home to many rare and unusual plants and animals.
Rich in flora and fauna, this important reserve contains Kent's last four valley bogs and one of its few remaining fragments of open heath.
Lying along the edge of the river Medway, this patchwork of wet fields and scrub is criss-crossed by ditches and home to many rare and unusual plants and animals.
Water-logged and thick with reeds and robust tall-herbs or tussocky sedges, fens are evocative reminders of the extensive wet wildlands that once covered far more of the lowlands than they do today.
Found between water and land, reedbeds are transitional habitats. They can form extensive swamps in lowland floodplains or fringe streams, rivers, ditches, ponds and lakes with a thin feathery margin of reeds.
Join Gareth Fulton, Estate Manager at Elmley Nature Reserve to discover the incredible journey of farm to wildlife haven this private estate has taken. This interview looks at their journey and the importance of using eco-tourism to pay for conservation.
We humans have a habit of thinking in terms of opposition: there’s rain or shine, hot or cold, and land or sea – to name but a few. Salt marshes, however, are something in between.
This is a guest blog in which Nik Mitchell of Save Minster Marshes offers his perspective about the Sea Link Project and reflects on the wildlife in the area and how it could be impacted.
