England is tearing down a sea wall to restore swampland. Good idea?

Question

A sea wall was built 500 years ago to allow for farming where swamp land existed. This year a major portion of England was swamped. With the restoration a number of sea birds and other life are expected to return to the swamp. Is this a bold step for our planet?

Answer 1

I can see preserving what we have left of the environment, but sometimes going back is not always wise. Do we need food for human consumption more or seabird and wildlife more? Both sides have good arguments. We could go back to nature and tear down our cities, dams, farmlands and let them go back to nature and what would we do to live ourselves? We try to tear down outdated buildings for progress and we are stopped by historical societies. These buildings sit empty and deteriorate forever. Animals have been going extinct for ever and we MIGHT NOT be able to do anything about it.

Answer 2

yes

Answer 3

Wetlands such as swamps are incredibly important to wildlife, flood protection, and water quality.  It is important that we take steps to preserve what we have.  In the United States, some wetlands are being restored along rivers to help minimize the effects of floods.  However, restoring a wetland destroyed 500 years ago seems like it would be another environmental catastrophe for that area.  It would probably be best to allow the sea wall to remain, unless there is a public safety issue involved.  It will take many years for the lost wildlife to return.

Answer 4

Aye, ---more swamps equals more foxes. That means more places to be riding through the glen with my band of men. As my grand daddy used to say "Come sea, come sah." The sea has yearned to return for ,lo, these hundreds of years. And so have the swamp foxes.

Answer 5

It's part of a trend.  In America some dams have been removed to restore the original habitat, since those dams are out of date and low producers.  It's a win-win situation.

It's very encouraging when area leaders actually listen to the biologists and ecologists making recommendations based on species needs.  It is definitely a step in the right direction.