Excessive nitrogen poses a critical challenge in Aotearoa, leading to the degradation of freshwater systems, biodiversity loss, and threats to human health. Wetlands serve as crucial nitrogen retention systems, safeguarding freshwater health, biodiversity and human well-being. Yet, the conversion of natural wetlands to agricultural land since the early 20th century has resulted in the loss of over 85% of these vital ecosystems, along with their nitrogen retention capabilities.

Recognition of wetlands’ contribution to ecosystem health has only recently emerged, prompting restorative actions. However, many restoration projects lack adequate monitoring, hindering our understanding of the complete impact on nitrogen retention. It also remains uncertain whether ecological restoration can fully reinstate the original nitrogen partitioning in wetlands, limiting our ability to optimize wetland restoration for nitrogen removal.

This project addresses these critical knowledge gaps, aiming to provide insights that inform future restoration decisions and enable the creation and restoration of wetlands with maximum nitrogen removal capacities.