It was great to be able to explain a bit about some of the work Green Shores is doing to restore saltmarsh in Scotland to the #Deluge project, as part of #ArtWalkPorty
We were at the salt marsh at Aberlady (not one of our restoration sites), a beautiful location with a board walk over the marsh to provide access to the beach beyond and prevent damage to the fragile habitat.
#Saltmarsh #NatureRestorationFund #Aberlady #AberladyNatureReserve

Pretty stripey stems of the new growth of the Bolboshoenus maritimus. Good to see the stock plants starting to bulk up again after being split into single stems.
#Saltmarsh #Plants #NatureRestorationFund

Sea-blite flowers are an example of a minimalist flower. Sepals only, no petals, 5 stamen with pollen and 2 stigmas.
It must work as the plants are generally annuals and return from seed each year. I'm constantly amazed that these plants inundated by the tide have flowers and are successfully pollinated.
Not sure if this qualifies for #Bloomscrolling though?
#Saltmarsh #plants #flowers #NatureRestorationFund #NatureScot

Sometimes on the saltmarsh at low tide, in amongst the vegetation, and the sea far away, you are reminded that this is a place that belongs to both the land and the sea.
This empty crab shell was spotted caught amongst the sea-blite and grasses, presumably floated in on the rising tide and dropped on the falling tide.

#Saltmarsh #plants #crab #coastal #NatureRestorationFund

Wednesday is our Plant Hub volunteering day, at the moment, we are mostly working on splitting the Sea Club Rush (Bolboschoenus maritimus) plants to increase our stock ready for planting out in late winter/early spring.
This perennial plant can be divided from the root stock, and when the seeds form in late summer, we will collect them to grow new plants on. Photo is of Sea Club Rush flowers. #saltmarsh
#HabitatRestoration #NatureRestorationFund #plants

This is what a fragmented saltmarsh looks like and why we at Green Shores are working to restore saltmarshes to full health. The depth of soil the saltmarsh can make is impressive!
However, the energy from the sea (especially during storms) is enough to break up the leading edge of the saltmarsh, allowing further erosion.
By planting native species, the natural saltmarsh can regrow and spread.
#Saltmarsh #HabitatRestoration #NatureRestorationFund #NatureScot #Coast #Scotland

This was an important tool today, a bee remover and rescuer, it was on hand to help persuade the bees back out of the polytunnel when they accidentally flew in. One bee in particular was quite happy to stay on the rose bay willow herb.
#Bees
#GreenShores #PlantHub #NatureRestorationFund #NatureScot

Another good session at the plant hub potting on Bolboschoenus maritimus (sea club rush) stock plants for saltmarsh restoration sites.
Volunteers doing great work again, despite having to relocate outside, as it was too hot in the polytunnel! Great to see some new growth on the previously potted on plants too.
#saltmarshes #volunteering #NatureRestorationFund #NatureScot @plants

Gorgeous views over saltmarsh on the way to our Dornoch Firth restoration site. Sea plantain and sea aster pictured. These are such beautiful habitats and they store so much carbon.
#saltmarshes @NatureScot @scotgovnetzero #NatureRestorationFund #GreenShores #ClimateAction

Nice bit of lichen growing on top of a post at the Dornoch Firth Green Shores saltmarsh restoration site. Beautiful day for a site visit, some observations, measurements and plans made.
#LichenSubscribe #Saltmarsh #NatureRestorationFund

The annual glasswort (Salicornia) plants are really greening up the mudflats now. They are able to survive on the mud flats and in amongst the more varied vegetation of the saltmarshes, as in this photo. After flowering in August or September they will release their seeds as the stems break up over winter to grow new plants next year.
#Saltmarsh #NatureRestorationFund

This is Grass-leaved Orache, a salt tolerant plant with long roots to hold fast when the tides come in, and an ability to excrete salt from it's leaves. Grass leaved orache also has tolerance to drought and high temperatures.
It's seeds are food for birds and it's flowers, though petal-less are very pretty. #Saltmarsh #biodiversity #NatureScot #NatureRestorationFund #flowers

Sea Asters (Aster tripolium) are just starting to flower this week on the Eden Estuary saltmarshes.
One of the many plants that make a home on the edge of Sea and Land.
#Saltmarsh #biodiversity #NatureScot #NatureRestorationFund

Another productive session at the plant hub today. We managed to split and pot up so many stock plants that we ran out of pots and tray space to put them in. Great work from the poly tunnel team.
#NatureScot #NatureRestorationFund #Saltmarsh #volunteers

Another warm day in the polytunnel, lots of Sea Club-Rush (Bolboshoenus maritimus) split for growing on as stock for establishing new saltmarsh. Excellent work from volunteers again, good company & cake!
#naturescot #NatureRestorationFund #volunteers #saltmarsh