Fen and wetland restoration creates rich wildlife habitat, supporting wading birds, otters, water voles and diverse invertebrate communities while sequestering carbon and reducing flood risk.
Wetland restoration creates welfare-positive landscapes by providing water, food and shelter for a wide range of species. The return of cranes, bitterns and marsh harriers to restored fens represents a welfare dividend for individual animals that now have access to appropriate habitat after decades of exclusion. Water voles, which suffered catastrophic population decline, benefit enormously from restored wetland corridors that support viable populations. Restoration must consider welfare during transition periods — habitat creation can temporarily increase predation pressure as species colonise before cover matures.