Revitalize the Swamp: Transforming Neglect into Abundance

As I stroll across the newly pedestrianized Hammersmith Bridge, the grey, rainy weather actually feels fitting. I’m heading to the London Wetland Centre, and it’s a timely visit, especially given that we’re experiencing the driest spring in 69 years. The big question is, how can we capture the rain to help prevent future droughts?

I meet Kevin Peberdy, who is the deputy chief executive of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT). It’s a special day—25 years since the London Wetland Centre opened. Peberdy played a key role in transforming four old reservoirs into this vibrant space.

When the wetlands debuted in 2000, Peberdy was excited about a potential trend. He even helped create the Hong Kong Wetland Park in 2006. Sadly, plans for more urban wetlands at home have slowed down. Now, Peberdy reflects on a crucial shift in approach. With a target of 1.5 million new homes set by the Labour party, he sees both risks and opportunities. The risk? Environmental protections could slip away. The opportunity? New homes could include blue infrastructure, like ponds, to manage heavy rain, especially since intense rainfall is becoming more common.

Kevin highlights a significant concern for the Environment Agency: flash flooding is on the rise due to heavy rain. How do we tackle this problem? One effective solution is to build more wetlands. While we talk, the London Wetlands site is a perfect example of this concept, but the future lies in creating smaller, less than one-acre wetland areas throughout urban landscapes. These are called sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS).

In more progressive nations like China, they refer to these setups as “sponge cities.” Simply put, they replace hard surfaces with green spaces that can absorb heavy rain, reduce flooding, and help recharge groundwater.

In the UK, we need 370,000 new homes every year for the next five years. SuDS will be vital not only for climate resilience but also to ensure adequate water supply. Alarmingly, 6.3 million properties are already at risk of flooding. With extreme weather becoming more frequent, projections show that coastal and river flooding could lead to £6.8 billion in losses by the 2050s.

Years ago, the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 aimed to make SuDS mandatory in new developments, but this plan was shelved by the coalition government. As a result, even when some developers do incorporate SuDS, they often look more like empty ponds than functional ecosystems.

Peberdy still believes in the potential of larger wetland projects to combat issues like coastal erosion and rising sea levels. Salt marshes are particularly promising. They act as natural barriers and store carbon much more efficiently than forests.

Currently, the WWT has begun restoring 148 hectares of coastal land in Gloucestershire, thanks to a £21 million donation from Aviva. Investing in these natural defenses could save more in insurance claims from flooding than it costs.

The WWT aims to create 100,000 hectares of new and restored wetlands in the UK by 2050, which is a small ask compared to the massive 8 million hectares lost since 1700. Restoring wetlands could significantly boost the UK’s climate resilience. We don’t just need to talk about managing water—we need to actively restore our natural landscapes.



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