Fred Wurster, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hydrologist, has been leading efforts to rehydrate the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia, a fragile peatland ecosystem drained and damaged by human activity since the 18th century. The swamp acts as a significant carbon sink, and is crucial for climate change mitigation. Recent restoration efforts aim to rewet over 60,000 acres, encouraging carbon sequestration and biodiversity revival. Despite challenges like residual degradation, funding and strategic planning by agencies and nonprofits such as The Nature Conservancy are hopeful steps toward reversing ecological damage and enhancing the swamp’s resilience against climate forms of extreme weather.