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
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 aims to restore 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.
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© Maverick Photo Agency
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.
28 September | Restoration Forth Mural Unveil
Date: Saturday 28 September
Time: Event starts at 10.00am, mural will be unveiled at 11.00am
Location: Heart of Newhaven Community building, 4 to 6 Main Street, Newhaven Edinburgh, EH6 4HY
Come along to Heart of Newhaven’s Doors Open Day, to celebrate the newly painted oyster mural! The mural, which has been painted by Edinburgh artist Natasha Russell will be unveiled, followed by a performance from the Newhaven Community Choir and oyster printmaking workshops (spaces limited, see below for booking).
This event is part of Heart of Newhaven’s general Open Doors Day there will be tours and other activities, food and music throughout the building.
There will be a photographer and videographer at this event, please let staff know if you don’t wish to be photographed/videoed. Children must be accompanied.
To sign up for the workshops please visit:
4 October | Seagrass Mapping
Date: Friday 4 October
Time: 9:30am-11:30am
Location:Tyninghame Beach Parking, EH42 1XW
Join the Restoration Forth team for an outdoor session to learn all about seagrass, the marine super plant! Attendees will learn about this great habitat-forming species, how to spot it and how to monitor its health over time. This session will focus on mapping of seagrass by using GPS markers to identify the extent of seagrass at the site. You can also find out more about our trial restoration site at Belhaven Bay and how to get involved in conserving this valuable coastal habitat.
6 October | Oyster Biosecurity
Date: Sunday 6 October
Time: 9:45am - 4pm
Location: Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh Campus
We are delighted to invite you to join us in the preparation of European flat oysters to be reintroduced to the Firth of Forth as part of the Restoration Forth project. These oysters are contributing to the restoration of European flat oysters in the Firth of Forth for the first time in 100 years!
The oysters will have previously been collected by the team from Loch Ryan on the west coast of Scotland. We are inviting you to get involved in the biosecurity processes of oysters necessary for their movement to a restoration site and to join with lots of learning along the way.
8 October | Seagrass Monitoring
Date: Tuesday 8 October
Time: 11am-1pm
Location: Tyninghame Beach Parking, EH42 1XW
Join the Restoration Forth team for an outdoor session to learn all about seagrass, the marine super plant! Attendees will learn about this great habitat-forming species, how to spot it and how to monitor its health over time following methodology set out in the Nature Scot's Community-led Marine Biodiversity Monitoring Handbook on how to collect robust intertidal seagrass data. You can also find out more about our trial restoration site at Tyninghame and how to get involved in conserving this valuable coastal habitat.
14 October | Oyster Stringing Workshop
Date: Monday 14 October
Time: 9:45am-4pm
Location: Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh Campus
For successful restoration, we need to monitor the outcomes of our restoration efforts to find out how many oysters survive and grow. This informs future activities and is a really important part of the restoration process. To monitor our oysters, we attach them to strings using marine epoxy putty and then tether them to the seabed at our deployment sites. We are then able to collect information about these oysters to give us an indication of the overall health of the oyster population. We are delighted to invite you to help us in this process of oyster stringing!
15 October | Oyster Stringing Workshop
Date: Tuesday 15 October
Time: 9:45am-4pm
Location: Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh Campus
For successful restoration, we need to monitor the outcomes of our restoration efforts to find out how many oysters survive and grow. This informs future activities and is a really important part of the restoration process. To monitor our oysters, we attach them to strings using marine epoxy putty and then tether them to the seabed at our deployment sites. We are then able to collect information about these oysters to give us an indication of the overall health of the oyster population. We are delighted to invite you to help us in this process of oyster stringing!
28 October | Seagrass Seed Processing (AM)
Date: Monday 28 October
Time: 10:30am-12:30pm
Location: Scottish Seabird Centre, Learning hub
Join the Restoration Forth team for an indoor session to learn all about seagrass, the marine super plant! Volunteers will assist with extracting seagrass seeds from plant material ready for them to be used in seeding trials across the Firth of Forth. You can also find out more about our trial restoration site at Belhaven Bay and how to get involved in conserving this valuable coastal habitat.
28 October | Seagrass Seed Processing (PM)
Date: Monday 28 October
Time: 2pm-4pm
Location: Scottish Seabird Centre, Learning hub
Join the Restoration Forth team for an indoor session to learn all about seagrass, the marine super plant! Volunteers will assist with extracting seagrass seeds from plant material ready for them to be used in seeding trials across the Firth of Forth. You can also find out more about our trial restoration site at Belhaven Bay and how to get involved in conserving this valuable coastal habitat.
31 October | Oyster Biosecurity
Date: Thursday 31 October
Time: 9:45am - 4pm
Location: Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh Campus
We are delighted to invite you to join us in the preparation of European flat oysters to be reintroduced to the Firth of Forth as part of the Restoration Forth project. These oysters are contributing to the restoration of European flat oysters in the Firth of Forth for the first time in 100 years!
The oysters will have previously been collected by the team from Loch Ryan on the west coast of Scotland. We are inviting you to get involved in the biosecurity processes of oysters necessary for their movement to a restoration site and to join with lots of learning along the way.
22 November | Seagrass Seed Processing (AM)
Date: Friday 22 November
Time: 10:30am-12:30pm
Location: Scottish Seabird Centre, Learning hub
Join the Restoration Forth team for an indoor session to learn all about seagrass, the marine super plant! Volunteers will assist with extracting seagrass seeds from plant material ready for them to be used in seeding trials across the Firth of Forth. You can also find out more about our trial restoration site at Belhaven Bay and how to get involved in conserving this valuable coastal habitat.
22 November | Seagrass Seed Processing (PM)
Date: Friday 22 November
Time: 2pm-4pm
Location: Scottish Seabird Centre, Learning hub
Join the Restoration Forth team for an indoor session to learn all about seagrass, the marine super plant! Volunteers will assist with extracting seagrass seeds from plant material ready for them to be used in seeding trials across the Firth of Forth. You can also find out more about our trial restoration site at Belhaven Bay and how to get involved in conserving this valuable coastal habitat.
Take Action
Restoration Forth aims to empower communities around the Firth of Forth to become champions for their local environment. Whether you're advocating for better nature protection or participating in citizen science, there are many ways you can make a real impact. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
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© Lyle BoyleMore Scotland Loves Nature
Restoration Forth shows what’s possible when communities unite for nature recovery! Join us in calling on the Scottish Government to bring forward a Natural Environment Bill, which will drive similar projects in future.
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© Jamie McDermaidMore Seagrass Monitoring
Protect ocean habitats by spending an hour exploring Scottish coastlines and record any seagrass you spot.
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© Emily AnnandMore Oyster and Oyster Habitat Monitoring
Join the hunt for historic oyster beds! Head to your local beach and tell us how many shells you find.
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To find out more and get involved contact your nearest hub
Project Partners
Funding Partners
The estate of the late Ella MacGregor