Could your New Year’s resolution help a local salt marsh?

The Friends of Portbury Wharf are calling on the community to make protecting local salt marshes their New Year’s resolution.

They have worked with Natural England, the government’s adviser for the environment, to put up new guide posts on Portbury Wharf salt marsh asking walkers, runners, cyclists and their dogs to stay near the sea wall embankment.

This salt marsh is one of the most important habitats within the parishes of Portishead and Portbury, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which comes under the authority of Natural England. The marsh acts as a refuge and feeding ground for rare and migratory wading birds, hosts unique plants and captures significant amounts of carbon, helping to fight global warming.

However the salt marsh has been damaged by an increase in traffic since the COVID lockdowns. With many hundreds of feet walking across it this SSSI has reached a tipping point and will only recover if those who enjoy it walk by the sea wall and not out onto the salt marsh.

Monitoring the Recovery

To track the progress of the marsh’s recovery Natural England and the Friends have marked off several damaged areas. Volunteers will monitor the changes over the coming months and years, recording which plants recolonise to help work out how best to protect the salt marsh.

A spokesperson for the group said: “The success of this project very much depends on support from the community. Each one of us holds the future of the salt marsh in our hands. By far the easiest way of helping the salt marsh is to keep to the landward side of the guide posts by the sea wall whenever you visit.”

“Knowing which plants grow back and how quickly will be key to the future biodiversity of the marsh and the wider area. For centuries this salt marsh has been safeguarding wildlife and burying carbon. We hope that it can be returned to its full potential on our watch”.

Notes:

The Friends are a community group of volunteers trying to safeguard local biodiversity. Natural England is the government’s adviser for the natural environment who protect and restore our natural world.

Further reading:

• Study Areas (monitoring the recovery)
• Salt Marsh Hub
• Article on North Somerset Times website (see below)