But step a little closer, and a very different picture emerges...

Saltmarshes are dynamic habitats, full of colour, movement and life. Found in sheltered coastal areas and estuaries, they begin as simple mudflats where fine sediment settles. Over time, tides bring nutrients and seeds, allowing salt-tolerant plants, known as halophytes, to take root. Through a natural process called succession, these pioneering species gradually transform bare mud into a thriving, vegetated and flowering marsh.

Birds are the most visible visitors. Redshank, curlew and oystercatcher probe the mud for worms and invertebrates, while flocks of knot and wildfowl gather in their thousands during the winter months. But there is also a hidden world beneath the surface: worms, snails, crabs, shrimps and other invertebrates form a complex food web that supports life across the marsh. Wetlands, including saltmarshes are among the most biodiverse habitats on Earth.

Not just wildlife havens, saltmarshes are a nature-based solution.

This means an ecosystem that helps tackle environmental challenges. They capture carbon 40 times faster than forests, locking it away for centuries in the sediment. At the same time, they filter pollutants from the water, improve water quality and act as natural buffers against storms, reducing wave energy and protecting coastal communities from flooding and erosion.

Saltmarshes have inspired both livelihoods and literature;

For centuries, communities have grazed animals, fished tidal creeks and harvested plants like samphire whilst providing inspiration for artists and writers alike.  

Despite all this, saltmarshes are under threat. Since 1860, around 85% of England’s saltmarsh have been lost to land reclamation, development and rising sea levels. Many remaining areas are now squeezed between the advancing sea and fixed terrestrial infrastructure in a process known as coastal squeeze.

That’s why protecting and restoring saltmarsh is vital.

The Lancashire wildlife trust is working alongside the Our Future Coast project to help better understand these habitats and explore ways to help them recover. 

We’re fortunate to have some of the UK’s most important saltmarshes locally. The Ribble Estuary and Morecambe Bay support internationally significant bird populations, while sites like RSPB Marshside, Wyre Estuary and the Fylde Coast offer opportunities to experience them first-hand. 

If you visit, take a moment to pause. Listen to the birds, watch the tide move through the creeks, and notice the life all around you. Remember to stick to paths and keep dogs on leads to help protect this sensitive habitat. Learn more and get involved as a volunteer here.