Restoring the Thames Estuary Brings Hope for Wildlife and Communities

A partnership led by the Zoological Society of London and 12 organizations including RSPB and the Environment Agency received nearly £4 million in 2023 to restore 320 hectares of coastal habitat in the Greater Thames Estuary by 2030, targeting six key habitats including native oyster beds, seagrass meadows, and saltmarshes across a 250,000-hectare wetland that has lost more than 40% of its saltmarsh and seen native oyster numbers drop by roughly 95%.

The 320 hectares represents the first phase as a proof of concept; full-scale restoration could eventually reach up to 53,000 hectares if subsequent funding and implementation succeed.