Wetland Vision for England

English Heritage summaries. 2006/2007

EH Project Number:	5257MAIN
Funded Unit:	RSPB

English Heritage, the Environment Agency, Natural England, RSPB and The Wildlife Trusts have together successfully developed a Wetland Vision for England, for the holistic delivery of large-scale wetland restoration for the future.

The continuing partnership is entering its fourth year, the second for English Heritage, widening the focus of the project beyond biodiversity and to encompass historic environment interests. The project is now is looking to launch the Wetland Vision tools into the public arena, to ensure the project outputs are accessible on partners GIS systems or through Wetland Vision website and CD ROM and to work with regional and local colleagues to help them use these tools.

• Our Vision

The project partnership has together defined a joint Vision for the future of wetlands.

Our Vision is for a future where freshwater wetland wildlife flourishes; wetland heritage is recognised and safeguarded; everyone can enjoy wild wet places for recreation and tranquillity and wetlands are valued for the multiple benefits they can bring to our society and our quality of life.

In order to achieve this over the next 50 years we will need to:

• Place the existing wetland network at the heart of our vision; taking action to preserve the unique and fragile archaeological record of our past and helping wildlife adapt to the pressure of climate change by buffering and linking sites
• Restore our uplands and significantly increase the extent of many lowland wetland habitats including doubling or increasing the area of reedbed, ponds and grazing marsh
• Create wetlands in the heart of our towns and cities where they can store and treat rainwater run-off and provide wildlife friendly greenspace for people
• Create wetlands in the countryside for wildlife and people, and particularly on farms where they can contribute to the wider action needed to reduce silt and nutrient loads in rivers and lakes
• Better understand and promote the role of wetlands to improve our quality of life where they can also provide flood storage, enhancing water quality, ensuring groundwater recharge and, carbon storage
• Preserve the record of or historic environment by keeping the most important former wetland soils wet
This is a challenging agenda but our analysis shows there is huge potential and enthusiasm amongst stakeholders to enhance and create wetland landscapes for the benefit of nature, people and the historic environment.

This Vision will be launched into the public domain in July 2008 at and event endorsed by the Chief Executives of each partner organisation, alongside a joint manifesto of actions.

• Objectives for the historic environment

To continue to fully consider the wider wetland issues, the specific historic environment objectives and deliverables for the Vision have been highlighted, and are outlined as follows. 

I. Integrate the historic environment priority areas products onto the website or CD ROM
II. Integration of the Heritage Management of England’s Wetlands data
III. Produce guidance material which advises on how and when to work with historic environment partners
IV. Ensure the glossy advocacy materials and technical documents accurately reflect historic environment priorities

• Further information

The project website is updated with latest events and news on the Wetland Vision: www.wetlandvision.org.uk

This page was published on 19/05/2008