For centuries, humanity's primary response to the threat of rising waters has been to build walls. This 'grey infrastructure' approach—encompassing concrete seawalls, dams, levees, and channels—has defined flood management, representing a paradigm of control over nature. These monolithic structures have undoubtedly saved countless lives and protected vast areas of agricultural and urban land. However, a growing body of evidence reveals their limitations. They are expensive to build and maintain, can catastrophically fail under extreme pressure, and often transfer flood risk from one location to another. Furthermore, they disrupt natural water cycles and destroy habitats, leading to a host of secondary environmental problems. This has prompted a shift in thinking towards 'green infrastructure', a strategy that works with nature, not against it, with wetland restoration at its forefront. At its core, a wetland functions as a vast natural sponge. Unlike a concrete channel that is designed to move water away as fast as possible, wetlands are uniquely adapted to slow it down, spread it out, and allow it to be absorbed. The dense vegetation of marshes, swamps, and fens acts as a form of…
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