Rebuilding the wall: achieving nature’s balance

The essential role of habitat restoration

By Zoe Makridou

Imagine a massive wall holding back millions of litres of water. This wall represents the complex web of life on Earth, the interconnected system that sustains us all.

For too long, this wall has been under siege. Climate change, pollution, habitat loss, overexploitation of natural resources, invasive alien species – all act like cracks and fissures, weakening the structure. We, as inhabitants of this planet, have been patching these problems, addressing the most immediate leaks, but some parts of the wall cannot be functional with simple patchwork. They need to be rebuilt.

Many of our ecosystems today are damaged beyond unassisted self-recovery. This is the critical role that habitat restoration plays. Conservation efforts, while essential for the protection of our natural world, are not enough. They are crucial for preventing a complete collapse, but they are not enough to ensure long-term stability.

Restoration vs conservation

Conservation and habitat restoration are sometimes used interchangeably but they differ in their goals and methods. Conservation focuses on protecting existing natural resources, habitats and biodiversity and preventing further degradation or loss of ecosystems, species and natural resources. On the other hand, the goal of habitat restoration is through direct interventions, to actively repair, rehabilitate, or recreate degraded ecosystems, such as reforestation and rewilding, to their former state to enhance their ecological health and functioning.

Both approaches are essential components of efforts to address biodiversity loss and environmental degradation.

Habitat restoration adopts a holistic approach that focuses on revitalising the natural balance on all elements of an ecosystem such as soil, hydrology, plant and animal life to ensure that an ecosystem functions properly. All kinds of damaged ecosystems can be restored, including forests, farmlands, urban ecosystems, wetlands and oceans. Through a healthy functioning ecosystem, we can enjoy the benefits of all of its ecosystem services, that also extend to humans. They act as Earth’s life support system, providing mitigation to climate change, reducing natural disasters impacts and even preventing disease outbreaks.

The new restoration law

There’s a growing recognition of the urgent need for habitat restoration, and a recent development offered a glimpse of hope before it was quickly taken away.

In a major victory for conservation efforts, the European parliament greenlighted a landmark Nature Restoration Law in February 2024. The legislation faced major opposition from some parties, who attempted to block it. Despite the law being significantly watered down from its initial proposal, the law was ultimately approved by a narrow margin. This legislation set a 2030 target of restoring at least 20 per cent of Europe’s land and sea area. Additionally, it mandated EU member states to bring 30 per cent of degraded habitats like forests and wetlands back to good condition by 2030. This percentage was set to increase to 60 per cent by 2040 and 90 per cent by 2050.

However, a month later (March 2024), the vote in the EU Council was shelved, after it became apparent the legislation would not pass its final stage with the majority required. Hungary, which initially supported the proposal, surprisingly withheld its support in March 2024. This unexpected move stalled the law’s adoption. Member states such as Italy, Poland and Sweden have also opposed the law, while Belgium and Austria have signaled they would abstain. The reasons for Hungary’s reversal remain unclear, though it’s believed that it’s due to economic anxieties or disagreements over implementation details.

Given this current shelving of the vote, the fate of the Nature Restoration Law hangs in the balance. Negotiations need to be resumed to address concerns or the entire proposal could be delayed or even scrapped. According to the Belgium Environment and Climate Minister, Alain Maron, who is responsible for steering talks among EU ministers on the highly controversial law during the Belgian Presidency of the European Council, he remains committed to passing the legislation, despite pushback from capitals and skeptical comments, even from his own prime minister. It would be “insane” and “dangerous” to reject the legislation this late in the process, he stated recently. “What’s happening is really very problematic, both in substance and institutionally,” he said.

Indeed, it is disappointing that we see EU governments torpedoing the first crucial steps towards restoring Europe’s natural environment. We all understand that nature restoration is going to be costly and that it requires a lot of hard work, but investing time and money in the restoration of European nature is vital for our future well-being, especially in light of increasing climate change-related threats like droughts, heatwaves, wildfires and floods.

Habitat restoration in Cyprus

Cyprus also faces the challenge of degraded habitats. This is particularly true for some areas included in the Natura 2000 network, designated for its EU important and exceptional biodiversity. Terra Cypria – the Cyprus Conservation Foundation, is actively involved in addressing this issue.  One example is the ongoing “Habitat restoration and Wise Use of Akrotiri and Cape Pyla” project, funded by Darwin Plus, one of the main actions of the project includes an access management plan that restricts vehicle access to sensitive wildlife sites within Akrotiri Salt Lake. This allows previously disturbed areas to recover, creating suitable habitat for bird and other species breeding and promoting a healthier ecosystem.

Also in 2020, Terra Cypria prepared a report on possible restoration actions that need to take place in the estuaries of Diarizos, Xeros and Ezousa. Examples of restoration actions that need to be implemented include eco-flow plans from upstream reservoirs to ensure a steady flow of water, vital for the health of the estuary ecosystem. Other examples are the removal of waste piles and closing of unnecessary earth roads crossing the riverbeds. Both actions will reduce pollution and prevent erosion and protect the delicate riverine environment. These efforts can create a healthier ecosystem that can self-repair.

The recent setback for the European Nature Restoration Law is a stark reminder of the challenges ahead, and that we no longer can afford to be passive bystanders. The future of our planet hinges on our ability to rebuild what has been lost.  From urging our leaders to champion restoration initiatives to supporting local restoration and conservation efforts, every action counts. Let us rise to the challenge and become ones that will actively aid to heal the Earth. Together, we can rebuild the wall, ensuring a vibrant and resilient future for all.

Zoe Makridou is a conservation and projects officer at Terra Cypria