Plans to create a new saltmarsh nature reserve in the Forest of Dean across the Severn from Slimbridge Wetland Centre is a step closer as the purchase of 148 hectares of farmland has been agreed.
The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) has today (December 10) announced that it has agreed to buy low-lying land on the Awre peninsula for a pioneering saltmarsh restoration project.
As part of the organisation’s mission to restore wetlands and unlock their power, they plan to create a new saltmarsh nature reserve in the Forest of Dean, emulating the success of their flagship saltmarsh restoration site in Somerset, WWT Steart Marshes.
As well as being a haven for wildlife and a nature reserve for the local community, it will act as a hub for new research studying the superpowers of saltmarshes to store carbon, boost biodiversity and improve flood resilience.
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WWT plans to create a mosaic of wetland features on the land to make it suitable for a huge variety of plants and animals, including ponds and creeks, as well as engineering a breach in the current sea wall.
Breaching the sea wall and allowing salt water from the estuary onto the land will begin the process of re-establishing the saltmarsh habitat likely to have been present on the site centuries ago.
Kevin Peberdy, WWT’s Deputy Chief Executive said they have held community drop-in-sessions and the reception from the public has generally been positive.
They say the site would not be a destination like Slimbridge but much more of a “local nature reserve”.
“If inevitably people want to go and see it. We’ll make provision for that, maybe a small car park,” he said.
“But this is not about drawing in lots of people. It’s quite the opposite really.
“We want to try and keep it low key and quiet.
“Saltmarshes support a huge variety of wildlife, slow down floodwater and store vast amounts of carbon – up to 40 times faster than forests.
“We are delighted that, following extensive research, early conversations with the local community, two public events and successful negotiations with landowners over the last two years, we have agreed the purchase of land on the peninsula.
“We believe this is the best site on the Severn Estuary for saltmarsh 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.”
Plans will be submitted to the Forest of Dean District Council over the next 12 months to conduct the earthworks which will involve reducing at least a section of the sea defence.
“That’s our job for the next 12 months or so,” Mr Peberdy said.
“We would go to planning hopefully, and then start work at the end sometime in 2026 we would potentially be on site.”
This low-lying farmland has flooded before and continues to be at high risk of future flooding, especially as flood defences are no longer being maintained there.
WWT plans to design the site to maximise its potential to capture and store carbon, contribute positively to biodiversity on the estuary and create a place for local people to visit and connect with nature.
The new reserve will also demonstrate how saltmarshes can be restored and created at scale and host a new round of pioneering research carried out by WWT, focused on wetlands’ role in carbon sequestration, climate resilience, and biodiversity recovery.
Ten years ago, WWT opened its first major saltmarsh restoration site at WWT Steart Marshes, now a thriving part of the Somerset Wetlands ‘Super National Nature Reserve’ that allows grazing to producing top quality saltmarsh beef.
The saltmarsh restoration and research WWT is planning to carry out on the Awre peninsula is possible thanks to a £21 million donation from Aviva aimed at restoring up to 250 hectares of saltmarsh on the Severn Estuary.