...for the creation of 100,000 hectares of healthy wetlands, including in urban areas, to help fight today's wellbeing, climate and nature crises.
With your support, we will campaign for change and urge the UK government to prioritise and invest in more wetlands. Each name we collect will build momentum and help us solve today’s pressing wellbeing, climate and nature crises.
The Covid crisis has taught us we can’t go back to how things were before.
So how can we level up the UK’s wellbeing crisis? How can we fight against the climate emergency? How can we protect our communities from increased flooding? How can we bring wildlife back to our degraded rivers, lakes and ponds? Wetlands Can!
Wetlands occur where water meets land. They include ponds, streams, rain gardens, rivers, lakes, estuaries, marshes and wet woodlands.
Yet we’ve lost so many, with 90% destroyed in England alone. Urban and agricultural development have swallowed many of them up. Worldwide, wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests, and much of what remains is in poor quality. They need your help.
Healthy wetlands make us feel better. Research shows just 10 minutes in them can lift mood. Creating wetlands in towns and cities where 84% of us live can increase access to wellbeing
Wetlands are like natural sponges. They store excess rainwater, slow the flow of water downriver and provide a buffer from the sea.
Nature is in freefall. Wetlands help to clean our water and bring a whole range of wildlife back to our degraded rivers, lakes and ponds.
Certain types of wetlands store more carbon, more quickly than all the world’s forests combined – helping to combat the causes and effects of climate change
"If we can get more wetlands into deprived areas, it will improve wellbeing for the people who need it most."
David Lindo, aka The Urban Birder, WWT Vice President
By adding your name to our pledge for more wetlands, you are helping to tackle some of today’s most pressing environmental and social issues, including helping to increase wellbeing and combatting climate change – thank you.
And thanks to all of you we have now reached our initial target of 5,000 pledges – a fantastic achievement for wetlands, but we think we can aim higher and have re-set our target to 10,000 pledges. Please encourage friends and family to help us get there.
Do your bit in your neighbourhood. Download our Wetlands Can! toolkit with ‘easy to follow’ guidance on building simple ponds, mini-wetlands and drainpipe gardens