Tidal restriction of coastal floodplains has been widely implemented across eastern Australia for flood mitigation and agricultural development. While effective in reducing inundation, these interventions have fundamentally altered wetland hydrology, often resulting in degraded water quality, acid sulfate soils, and fish kills from hypoxic blackwater events. In response, tidal restoration is increasingly promoted as a nature‑based solution to reinstate ecological function and enhance blue carbon sequestration.
However, these initiatives present a complex ecological and ethical dilemma: restoring tidal exchange may improve estuarine condition and carbon outcomes but can also result in the loss of established freshwater habitats that have developed under altered regimes. These systems may now support distinct ecological values, including freshwater vegetation communities and associated fauna.
This poster explores the broader trade‑offs inherent in tidal restoration of modified coastal wetlands. Using a conceptual, evidence‑based framework, we examine how changes in hydrology and salinity redistribute ecological values. Anticipated benefits of tidal reconnection are considered alongside the persistence and potential loss of freshwater‑dependent values, particularly under future sea‑level rise scenarios. By making both gains and losses explicit, this work highlights the importance of transparent, values‑informed decision-making in coastal wetland restoration.