Habitats
“The ocean’s power of regeneration is remarkable – if we just offer it the chance.”
David Attenborough
Coastal habitats are vital for nature and people.
Healthy coastal habitats provide natural solutions to flooding and global warming: they absorb the energy of waves, helping to protect against coastal flooding, while absorbing the carbon dioxide that contributes to climate change and air pollution. By locking carbon in via woodlands, seagrass meadows and saltmarsh we can help mitigate against global warming and ensure cleaner air for everyone.
There are other amazing things that these diverse habitats do. For instance, saltmarsh and seagrass help improve water quality, absorb the energy from wave and storm surges, and provide breeding grounds for many sea creatures and commercial fish species. This helps coastal communities adapt and be more resilient to predicted sea level rises and other impacts of climate change, while also providing sustainable seafood products.
SCAMP’s Habitats
We are looking at five key habitats to restore: saltmarsh, oyster reefs, seagrass beds, coastal woodland and sand dunes.
Loch Ryan has the last wild native oyster fishery in Scotland, alongside understudied and under-mapped areas of seagrasses, and large expanses of saltmarsh. It provides the ideal areas for expansion and research. Coastal woodlands above saltmarsh, cling to coastal cliffs, offering a resilient seed bank and opportunities for connecting with nature and its remarkable seascape. Sand dunes provide unique habitats for the nationally rare natterjack toad and the tadpole shrimp, only found in one other place in Britain.
SCAMP’s habitats and species form a vitally important part of the marine ecosystem. Each habitat is a different but important biodiversity hub, increasing the species numbers and diversity of the Solway’s coastal and marine environment. We are working with seven partners and communities of “coastodians” to help nature thrive and address some of the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.
We are working with a growing community of “coastodians,” people of all ages who love and want to help the Solway’s coastal and marine environment thrive. From beach cleans to citizen science, immersive walks to hands-on nature restoration work, they are passionate about this diverse and changing environment.
