Natural England is pleased to announce the successful launch of a pioneering habitat restoration project aimed at supporting breeding seabirds in the Solent. The initiative, part of the broader Solent Seascape Project, focusses on creating vital nesting habitats for terns and other seabirds.
The project aims to provide suitable nesting sites for four species of terns – common, sandwich, little, and roseate – and other breeding seabirds. Initial trials with a single shingle-topped raft in April 2024 proved successful, attracting the first common terns to successfully breed on the national nature reserve for over 20 years. The new shingle islands are expected to benefit both breeding seabirds in spring and summer, and overwintering wading birds.
Jessica Taylor, a marine and coastal senior officer at Natural England, said, “This project represents a significant step in our efforts to support the recovery of seabird populations in the Solent. By creating these protected nesting sites, we’re addressing the decline in suitable natural shingle habitats caused by factors such as sea level rise and increasing tidal surges.”
The North Solent national nature reserve, one of Natural England’s largest, provides a crucial sanctuary for a diverse range of bird species. The new shingle islands, located behind a sea wall in a restricted access area, offer protection from rising sea-levels and human disturbance.
This initiative is part of the larger Solent Seascape Project, a five-year, multi-partner endeavour. East Head Impact and the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme (ELSP), managed by the Cambridge Conservation Initiative and funded by Arcadia, support the Solent Seascape Project. The project aims to restore four vulnerable marine habitats across the Solent region by 2027.
Louise MacCallum, Solent project manager at Blue Marine Foundation, the lead partner on the project, said, “It is so exciting to see these new islands take shape at North Solent NNR after so many months of planning. They will form a crucial part of the network of restored seabird sites we are creating as part of the Solent Seascape Project across the entire Solent region.”
Natural England will continue to monitor the use of these new habitats throughout the year, with the potential to create additional nesting islands if the project proves successful.