A new report published on the State of Nature of the Solent reveals that:

• Most of the Solent's habitats and species are struggling - native oyster reefs having been lost from the Solent since 2007.
• Internationally important saltmarsh, seagrass meadows and mudflat habitats are all in an unfavourable condition - at risk of being lost too without action.
• Coastal birds, seabirds and fish are all in decline across the Solent
• Recreational activities, storm overflow, sea level rise, poor water quality due to pollution and biological invasion are all threats to wildlife in the Solent.

But ... there is hope!  The Solent Seascape Project is a first-of-its-kind project in the UK that aims to protect and restore nature on a seascape level. It's even now part of the internationally recognised UN Ocean Decade Action initiative.

Already, the project has undertaken restoration work at a number of sites including the creation of oyster reefs, planting of seagrass, restoring saltmarsh and seabird islands. These efforts will initiate the recovery of the marine and coastal environment and to start to tip the balance from a degraded state to a naturally expanding, connected and productive ecosystem.

To find out more please click here.