Seagrass planting set to begin in Firth of Forth as major restoration project gathers pace

The first seeds are due to be planted in waters off the Scottish capital as part of a major restoration project that aims to improve biodiversity in the Firth of Forth.

Conservationists and volunteers have collected more than 40,000 seagrass seeds from around Orkney and prepared them for planting, with sowing work due to start in the Forth shortly.

The £2.4 million project, Restoration Forth, will improve the local marine ecosystem and help to tackle climate change and loss of nature.

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As well as increasing seagrass meadows, which are important for supporting other species and sucking up climate-warming carbon emissions, the initiative will work to bring back wild native oysters which were once abundant in the region.

The ambition is to restore up to four hectares of seagrass and reintroduce 30,000 oysters by the end of 2024.

Oyster reefs, which flourished in the Forth estuary before being fished to extinction, remove pollutants from the water and provide sanctuary for a wide variety of sea life.

More than 4,000 volunteers have already been involved in the early stages of Restoration Forth, a three-year scheme which is being managed by environmental charity WWF, in partnership with scientists, charities and local community groups.

Support for the scheme has come from the ScottishPower Foundation’s recently created Marine Biodiversity Fund, which was set up to mark the United Nations climate summit COP26 coming to Scotland.

Over the course of the Forth Restoration project, which runs over three years, around four hectares of seagrass meadows will be restored and 30,000 oysters introduced in the estuaryOver the course of the Forth Restoration project, which runs over three years, around four hectares of seagrass meadows will be restored and 30,000 oysters introduced in the estuary
Over the course of the Forth Restoration project, which runs over three years, around four hectares of seagrass meadows will be restored and 30,000 oysters introduced in the estuary

The grant – totalling £600,000 over three years – is the first award from the fund and the biggest provided by the charitable ScottishPower Foundation.

Naomi Arnold, Restoration Forth project manager at WWF, said: “The level of interest and engagement in just the first year of Restoration Forth has been inspiring.

“The enthusiasm of our partners and funders but also, crucially, from members of the many communities that line the Forth showcases how a project like this can work for both the marine environment and the people who live by it.

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“Restoring the seagrass meadows and oyster beds of the Forth brings a whole host of benefits, from improved water quality and increased biodiversity to storing carbon and reduced coastal erosion.

More than 40,000 seagrass seeds have been collected from around Orkney and prepared for planting, with sowing work due to start in the Forth shortly as part of the £2.4m Restoration Forth project, which will improve the local marine ecosystem, help to tackle climate change and loss of nature. and benefit local people. Picture: Lauren SimmonsMore than 40,000 seagrass seeds have been collected from around Orkney and prepared for planting, with sowing work due to start in the Forth shortly as part of the £2.4m Restoration Forth project, which will improve the local marine ecosystem, help to tackle climate change and loss of nature. and benefit local people. Picture: Lauren Simmons
More than 40,000 seagrass seeds have been collected from around Orkney and prepared for planting, with sowing work due to start in the Forth shortly as part of the £2.4m Restoration Forth project, which will improve the local marine ecosystem, help to tackle climate change and loss of nature. and benefit local people. Picture: Lauren Simmons

“After a year of hard work and preparation, we are excited that this spring will see the start of seagrass planting and oyster deployment – a start that will help breathe new life back into the Forth.”

Melanie Hill, executive officer and trustee of the ScottishPower Foundation, said: “It’s so exciting to see the progress across the year of our first-ever Marine Biodiversity Fund project.

“Restoration Forth is supported by the biggest-ever grant awarded by the ScottishPower Foundation and is a shining example of how we can take action now to tackle the climate emergency.

“Thriving marine environments are vital if we’re to have any chance of addressing the biodiversity and climate crises we all face.

Native oyster reefs, which once flourished in the Forth estuary before being fished to extinction, remove pollutants from the water and provide sanctuary for a wide variety of sea lifeNative oyster reefs, which once flourished in the Forth estuary before being fished to extinction, remove pollutants from the water and provide sanctuary for a wide variety of sea life
Native oyster reefs, which once flourished in the Forth estuary before being fished to extinction, remove pollutants from the water and provide sanctuary for a wide variety of sea life

“Restoration Forth helps to do this and more, by engaging with the local community to educate them on the importance of these habitats to the wider ecosystem and our future.

“This collaborative approach can help provide the blueprint for further marine restoration projects across the country, with ScottishPower Foundation funding supporting future generations for years to come. I can’t wait to see what comes next.”

The project team spent time in Orkney, working with the local community there to collect the seagrass seeds. Care was taken to ensure only the east coast variant was collected to avoid non-native species being planted in the Forth.

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A group of specially appointed ‘citizen scientists’ has also been working in partnership with conservationists at Seawilding, which is spearheading a native oyster reintroduction project on the west coast of Scotland, to source the molluscs for Restoration Forth.

Working in line with NatureScot and Marine Scotland’s guidelines, the team has been studying and scrubbing oysters to ensure the biosecurity of any shellfish that will be relocated.

Other partners delivering Restoration Forth alongside WWF include Edinburgh Shoreline Project, Fife Coast & Countryside Trust, Heriot Watt University, Marine Conservation Society, Project Seagrass, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scottish Seabird Centre, the Ecology Centre, and the Heart of Newhaven Community.

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