Bristol aims to become UK's first 'wetland city' with £8.9m in Aviva funding over five years

There are currently 74 accredited wetland cities in 27 countries under the Ramsar convention, which recognises cities that protect and wisely use urban wetlands. WWT hopes to secure accreditation for Bristol through the international treaty.

The project is funded by insurer Aviva, which is contributing £8.9m over five years. It will range from small household rainwater ponds and street-level rain gardens to restoring river habitats, reconnecting rivers with their floodplains, and creating new wetlands.

The charity kickstarted the work in September by installing floating wetlands made of buoyant modules covered in wetland plants at three sites in Bristol's city-centre harbour. Peter Lee, the programmes lead at WWT, said that within minutes dragonflies and other wildlife were appearing. "It sparked a conversation – people were saying: 'Why can't it always be like this?'" he said.

Lee said wetlands absorb water more effectively than impermeable surfaces such as concrete, helping to manage rainwater where it falls rather than routing it into drains and combined sewers, which overflow when it rains. “It's a rethink of how we manage the water that lands in the city,” he said. Lee said rain falling on a roof is “some of the purest, best-quality water there is”, and that rather than channelling it into a combined sewer it can be used as a resource.

Lee said he hoped the project would demonstrate the commercial case for wetland investment. He said proving economic returns, such as higher mooring fees and more footfall in the city centre, could mean future projects would not rely solely on philanthropic donations. “By proving the commercial and economic case for investment in wetlands, we won't always need to rely on a big philanthropic donation – instead that's seed funding to kickstart a much bigger programme,” he said.

Louise Kennedy, who is managing the project in Bristol, said 40% of species worldwide are reliant on wetlands. “In a world that is increasingly urbanised, figuring out where pockets of wetland can be restored and protected within our cities massively improves biodiversity,” she said. She said it also improves access to nature for people who would not necessarily have access to rural wildlife reserves.

The charity looked at a number of cities to launch the project, but Bristol stood out, with Lee pointing to its maritime heritage. “Look at the placenames across Bristol – they're full of water references,” Lee said, noting the city has 100 miles of waterways, many hidden.

Tony Dyer, leader of Bristol City Council, said: "Bristol has always been shaped by its relationship with water, and this exciting programme shows how we can work with nature to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing our city. By creating and restoring wetlands across Bristol, we can help reduce flood risk, support wildlife, improve people's health and wellbeing, and help build resilience to a changing climate."