A drive to restore a rare wetland habitat has been dealt a blow after there was vandalism at two trial sites on Tyneside and Wearside.
The project aims to bring back intertidal saltmarsh at Dunston staiths in Gateshead, Hebburn riverside, Jarrow Slake which is fed by the River Don, and Baron’s Quay at North Hylton in Sunderland.
Mudflat and saltmarsh are very rare habitats which were once commonplace on the rivers,but have been lost over years of industrialisation and urbanisation. Saltmarsh stores carbon, improves water quality, is home to specialist plants and provides food and shelter for juvenile fish and birds. It has been recognised as an important factor in preventing coastal erosion and flooding.
