Assessment and identification of potential wetlands to be restored in Mediterranean countries

This report has been produced in the framework of the project “Strengthening the Restoration of Mediterranean Wetlands for Nature and People” funded by the MAVA Foundation under the M3 Action Plan “Enhancing the conservation of coastal wetlands” between 2020 and 2022.

Between December 2020 and March 2021, an online survey was carried out in order to compile potential wetlands to be restored in the Mediterranean region. 265 responses were received corresponding to 224 wetland sites from 24 countries. The total wetland area identified in the 265 questionnaires is 399,912 ha. A number of questionnaires are duplicates since different respondents have answered about the same sites, often giving different wetland areas. The total wetland area in need of restoration ranges between 233,146 ha and 330,706 ha for the 224 sites identified. The methodology and the main findings are presented in this report.

The objective of this assessment is to obtain a more ambitious and realistic target of the number hectares that can be restored across the Mediterranean by 2022. A second objective is to provide data to support policy and advocacy actions in favour of Mediterranean wetlands.