Floodplain wetland environments are vitally important socially, economically, and environmentally but to date have receive far less attention in global research compared to riverine environments. Native species in these environments are facing a range of threats from water extraction, habitat degradation, invasive species and shifting climates. As a result, a growing number of species are in decline and facing an increasing risk of extinction without appropriate management interventions. Waterway managers have a range of tools and options available to try and halt such declines, including habitat rehabilitation, flow management, livestock removal, invasive species removal, and translocations/reintroductions of target species.
We undertook a review of global literature on floodplain wetland restoration efforts and their likely outcome to assess the performance of different restoration techniques when applied in isolation and/or combination with one another. We also examine the response of different ecosystem components (e.g. fish, vegetation, birds) in assessing outcomes. Through this systematic review process, we identify the global trends in floodplain wetland restoration and propose a range of key principles for the restoration of floodplain wetlands that are likely to provide successful outcomes for future restoration activities.