Riverside farmland to be restored to salt marsh

A national charity has agreed to buy hundreds of acres of farmland and turn it back into salt marsh.

The Awre peninsula on the lower River Severn in Gloucestershire will be owned and monitored by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT).

The Trust said the 365-acre (148-hectare) site in the Forest of Dean was likely to have been salt marsh in the past.

Work to create new habitats, including creeks and ponds, will be carried out alongside engineering work, like the breaching of the current sea wall to allow water in.

The WWT believes restoring the Awre peninsula to salt marsh will improve biodiversity, reduce issues with flooding and help the environment.

People will be able to visit the reserve, as is the case with the WWT Steart Marshes site near Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset.

Kevin Peberdy, WWT's Deputy Chief Executive said: "Salt marshes support a huge variety of wildlife, slow down floodwater and store vast amounts of carbon – up to 40 times faster than forests.

"We believe this is the best site on the Severn Estuary for salt marsh restoration to maximise the multiple benefits of wetlands for people and nature.

"Our intention is that this new reserve will be an asset for the community, bringing a wealth of wetland wildlife, a new way to connect with nature and an upgraded flood defence."

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