PRECIOUS ROLE OF CLEETHORPES SALTMARSH IN HELPING TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE

Saltmarsh soaks up carbon and reduces threat of coastal flooding

THE much-maligned saltmarsh that occupies much of the foreshore south of Cleethorpes Leisure Centre is helping to save the planet.

There have often been calls from holiday accommodation providers and seaside traders for its spread to be halted and even  eradicated where it already exists.

A serving North East Lincolnshire councillor once infamously called for it to be destroyed  with glyphosate weedkiller.

But at a meeting in Grimsby last night, the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust’s  head of conservation, Tammy Smalley, emphasised its importance.

“It is essential that we stop trying to squeeze saltmarsh off of our planet,” insisted Ms Smalley (pictured). “It’s value cannot be overestimated. 


                                        
“For instance, it is 50 times more effective in carbon capture than rainforest.

She continued: "It is also invaluable in reducing the impact of coastal surges which are becoming more and more frequent.

"In dissipating the energy of waves, it offers a far superior solution than man-engineered hard defences."

Despite her comments, it is unlikely that NELC will change its policy of rooting out saltmarsh plants where they threaten to encroach, north of the leisure centre, on to the central beach where the sands have long been a traditonal feature, offering a range of recreational uses.

The meeting, held at Grimsby Town Hall, was organised by the LWT's Grimsby and Cleethorpes group.

Ms Smalley, who is originally from Skegness, is an authority on marine ecosystems and a former senior officer at Natural England.

Full of passion for nature, her wide-ranging and stimulating talk also covered her own upbringing and her deep family roots on or near the Lincolnshire coast (apart from one aunt who was a member of the famous Tiller Girls dance troupe).

She also discussed the implications - apparently favourable - of imminent new legislation designed not just to safeguard nature but also to recover what has been lost.

Quizzed by former Grimsby councillor John Stockton about the impact of offshore windfarms, the speaker acknowledged that they were transforming the ecosystem in the North Sea.

On the plus side, the introduction of extensive rock and concrete infrastructure to the seabed was boosting the populations of crabs and lobsters, but the downside was that more fish seemed to be developing deformities, possibly because of underwater vibrations or electrical currents from the turbines.

Ms Smalley also noted that the increased underwater noise generated by the offshore windfarm industry, not least from the piling required prior to turbine installation, was probably to the detriment of certain mammals that communicate by sound.

"It could lead to the extinction of harbour porpoises in the southern North Sea,"she warned.

* What should NELC's response be to the Climate Emergency? At a meeting of the cabinet tomorrow (March 11), members will be recommended both to commission a carbon assessment of the council’s assets and operations and to develop a roadmap to its becoming a carbon-neutral council by 2050 or before.

Saltmarsh also provides a precious  habitat for birds such as these Brent geese