Tower installed to monitor carbon storage in Poole Harbour saltmarsh
The Environment Agency's monitoring the levels there
We could soon find out how much carbon can be stored in an area of saltmarsh in Poole Harbour.
A so-called Flux Tower has been installed at Arne Moor to help take measurements and monitor how the carbon dioxide changes over time.
The Environment Agency says it's the perfect opportunity to chart the benefits of a new saltmarsh from its creation.
Dr Ben Green, a senior advisor in the Environment Agency’s Estuaries and Coasts Planning team, said:
“The Arne Moor flux tower is the latest piece in the puzzle to better understand the ability of saltmarshes to store carbon.
“This is a perfect opportunity for us to chart the benefits of a new saltmarsh from its creation.”
Saltmarshes are not just credited with being excellent carbon sponges, they are also habitat for wildlife and protect people and property from flooding.
But the area of saltmarsh in England has been in decline with up to 85% of it lost since the mid 19th century.
Peter Robertson, senior site manager at RSPB Arne nature reserve on the banks of Poole Harbour, said:
“UK saltmarshes are globally important for wildlife, but they are also vital for our way of life, whether that’s fishing, protecting communities from flooding or storing carbon.
“We’re really excited that saltmarsh created by the Moors at Arne project will be studied to understand more about these superpower habitats, and hope that this will lead to further protection and restoration efforts for saltmarshes across the UK.”
The saltmarsh flux tower project is a collaboration with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and funded by the Defra marine Nature Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (mNCEA) programme.
Annette Burden, wetland biogeochemist and Blue Carbon lead for UKCEH, said:
“This is an exciting and groundbreaking opportunity to see what happens to carbon at a restoration site before, during and after the tide flows back into the site.
“This has never been measured before, and as such will be fundamental to improving our understanding of the carbon benefit of saltmarsh restoration.”