The WWT, the charity for wetlands and wildlife, has announced that it has agreed the purchase of low-lying land on the Awre peninsula for a pioneering saltmarsh restoration project.

Plans to create a new saltmarsh nature reserve 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 (Tuesday, December 10) announced that it has agreed the purchase of 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.