Restoration Forth

A project with communities and organisations to restore seagrass meadows and European flat oysters in the Firth of Forth.

A major marine restoration programme

Restoration Forth is a major marine restoration programme working with communities to restore seagrass habitats and European flat oyster populations in the Firth of Forth.

Restoration Forth will create a toolkit for marine restoration - inspiring communities in delivering further marine restoration efforts across Scotland, securing by 2030 at least 42 hectares of critical coastal habitat restored in the Firth of Forth, and influencing Scottish Government policy for stronger marine protection.

In 2022, the Restoration Forth partners completed habitat suitability assessments and comprehensive stakeholder consultations to determine the restoration sites and began working with communities. By the end of 2023, the project restored 1 hectare of seagrass and deployed the first European flat oysters into the Firth of Forth in 100 years. The project also trained hundreds of local community members in restoration techniques and skills.

By the close of the project in 2024, the project will have restored 4 hectares of seagrass and 30,000 European flat oysters.

This three year programme has been made possible by funding from Aviva, the ScottishPower Foundation, the Moondance Foundation, the estate of the late Ella MacGregor, and supported by the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, through Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund (SMEEF) facilitated grants.

Emmy smiling and holding up a native oyster into the air.

Why seagrass and oysters?

Both seagrass and oysters:

improve water quality
store carbon
support biodiversity
provide nursery habitats for fish

Seagrasses also reduce wave energy, which helps prevent coastal erosion; European flat oysters reduce excess nutrients in the water and stabilise the seabed, improving water quality and clarity.

Your views are very important to us and we take any feedback we receive seriously.

If you are unhappy or would like to comment on the project please do so here.

Upcoming Events

We are running events and activities this year to spread the word about the project. Join us to find out about your local marine environment and what you can do for its future and yours.

6 June | Oyster Restoration Citizen Science Workshop

Date: 6 June

Time:6pm-7pm

Location:Online

Join us to learn about our new citizen science resources and how you can get involved wherever you are around the Forth!

Citizen science is when the public join forces with scientific teams to collaborate on research projects. There are lots of ways to take part and it’s a great way to get outside, learn new skills and do something amazing for our oceans.

We're working to restore oysters and seagrass to the Firth of Forth, and need your help to collect data from beaches around the area. This data will provide information on which locations would be most suitable to restore oysters and the impacts of oysters on the marine environment.

The activities are quick and easy to learn, and can be done on any beach around the Firth of Forth! We’ll be doing some training and providing all the information you need to get involved. There will also be a chance to find out how our oyster restoration work has been going so far and ask any questions.

Find out more