Reasons to restore tidal flats - summary

The primary reason for restoring tidal sand and mud flats for is to re-create habitat suitable as feeding areas for migratory and other waterfowl. These are often the most obvious manifestation of the ecological value of estuaries and other tidal embayments and the reason for their designation as protected areas e.g. as Ramsar sites or SPAs.

This is especially significant for the large numbers of wintering wildfowl and waders wintering on some of the larger more important tidal areas such as the Wadden Sea and estuaries in the UK. The restoration is usually linked to the recognition that losses of sand and mud flats can potentially threaten the survival of individual birds and the maintenance of the local populations.

The restoration of tidal sand and mud flats also provides opportunities for improving sea defences and the re-creation of saltmarshes as tidal flats become colonised by halophytic plants.