Background The estuarine habitats and species of the Eastern Scheldt in Zeeland are under serious pressure. The estuaries were once famous for their shallow tidal creeks, sand flats, salt marshes and inland brackish marshes and harboured important populations of terns, waders, geese, seals and root vole (Microtus oeconomus subsp. arenicola). However, the area’s biodiversity declined as a consequence of the Delta works, a series of dams built to protect the Netherlands from flooding. As a consequence, the habitat area around the Eastern Scheldt has reduced in size to just a few salt marshes and a few brackish water marshes and its root vole and bird populations have also seriously declined as marshlands lying within the dikes further fragmented. In the late 1990s the Dutch government, the province of Zeeland and local organisations started a joint restoration programme. Its focus is the restoration of estuarine gradients between estuarine, river and inland habitats, the protection of tidal salt marshes including sand flats against erosion, and the restoration of the inland brackish marshes. This LIFE project was part of this programme: It focussed on the corridor connecting the Eastern Scheldt root vole population with its neighbouring populations. This area is vital for the preservation of the root vole in the southwest Delta. Objectives The project covered 157 ha of a wider (1 200 ha) restoration initiative located in Schouwen-Duiveland. It focused on the restoration of the original relief of the creeks, salt marshes and shallows of a medieval marshland, the restoration of salt and brackish water systems and the development of the vegetation types and plant and animal species that are native to the area. The project aimed to create open landscape type, with small-scale transitional zones between salt to very brackish stagnant water, tidelands, salt grasslands and transitional zones to wet (fresh water) meadowlands. A principal aim therefore, was to increase the habitat of the priority species, the root vole (Microtus oeconomus), within the project area from less than 10 ha to approximately 107 ha. Avifauna would also recover in the project area. In particular, the following birds included in the EU Birds Directive were expected to return to breed: marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus), avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), arctic tern (Sterna paradisea), black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus), and the common tern (Sterna hirundo). The restoration actions would also offer foraging and refuge opportunities for various species of migratory birds listed in the Birds Directive. Great numbers of barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis), golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria), little egret (Egretta garzetta), Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica), were expected to make use of the area. Results The project’s main objectives were met: namely the restoration of former creeks and brackish marsh habitats for the benefit in particular, of the priority species, the root vole (the country’s only endemic mammal subspecies); and the recovery of numerous important European bird species. The original project area was also enlarged from 157 ha to 178 ha through additional land purchase/compensation agreements with local farmers. The total area became available by encouraging farmers to move from the ‘poor’ wet and saline agricultural land onto better farmland away from the site. In addition, as part of a larger initiative, restoration in adjacent areas (230ha) will continue after-LIFE in 2013 and until 2015. Importantly, according to the first ecological monitoring, the restoration results are promising – with original creeks, brackish marsh and sandbars visible once more. Other positive results were: The expansion of suitable root vole habitat from 10 to 80 ha monitoring the root vole has indicated a very positive development; The “Plompe Toren” (an abandoned former church tower) has been renovated and is now used as an information centre to the benefit of the area’s many tourists; Another targeted habitat type, Atlantic salt meadows (in the form of reflexed salt-marsh grass) has begun to develop in several places on the former agricultural plots; The extension of a cycle route through the project area as part of a cycling system; A brochure and audio information has been produced, in collaboration with the Eastern Scheldt national park and municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland. The nature experience and water management has been very successful, including positive effects on the city of Ziekzee.Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report (see "Read more" section).