The Project 

The Solent Seascape Project is led by Blue Marine Foundation, a UK charity dedicated to protecting and restoring the ocean. We are working in a consortium of ten dedicated partner organisations to revive the Solent’s coastal habitats. By restoring and connecting the Solent’s seascape, the project is providing nature-based solutions to many of the challenges the Solent faces and the people who depend on it. 

Nestled between the Isle of Wight and mainland England, the Solent is home to an extraordinary array of habitats: seagrass meadows, saltmarshes, oyster reefs, and seabird nesting sites. It is a sanctuary for species like seahorses, seals, and the critically endangered European eel. The Solent is a place that is rich in maritime heritage and it has supported coastal communities for generations. Yet, following decades of habitat loss, declining biodiversity, and threats such as poor water quality and sea-level rise, this seascape has been left fragmented and degraded. 

By joining forces with local communities, scientists, and policymakers, we aim to bring life back to this vital ecosystem, ensuring its future for people, nature and climate. 

Our Vision

Our vision is to restore the Solent to a thriving, interconnected seascape that supports nature, communities and climate resilience. Through a five-year initiative, that is already underway, we aim to:

• Restore 8 hectares of saltmarsh, 7 hectares of seagrass, 4 hectares of oyster reefs, and 10 seabird nesting sites.
• Strengthen ecological health and connections between habitats to enable recovery on a larger scale.
• Collaborate with local communities to develop a long-term seascape recovery plan.
• Provide evidence of the broader benefits of seascape scale restoration, from carbon storage to enhanced biodiversity and water quality.

This project is about more than restoring habitats—it’s about creating a blueprint for how marine ecosystems can be revived to support both environmental and human needs in the long-term.

The Partnership

The Solent Seascape Project is a collaborative partnership of ten multi-sectoral organisations, representing both the public and private sectors and academic institutions. Our partners include: Blue Marine Foundation, Chichester Harbour Conservancy, RSPB, Project Seagrass, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Natural England, the University of Portsmouth, the Environment Agency, Coastal Partners and the Isle of Wight Estuaries Partnership. Please get in touch if you have questions and we'd be happy to provide more information.

How can you help 

Your support will be used to: 

• Scale up the restoration of vital habitats, such as seagrass meadows and oyster reefs, which are critical for biodiversity and carbon capture.
• Work closely with local communities and organisations to build understanding, foster stewardship, and ensure sustainable use of the Solent’s resources.
• Develop the scientific and financial tools necessary to making seascape restoration replicable and sustainable for the long term. 
• Support the retransformation of the Solent into a thriving, connected seascape. 

With this help, we can continue working towards a dynamic network of interconnected marine and coastal habitats – known as a seascape-scale approach to marine and coastal restoration - to benefit people, nature and climate.