The Mission
Why we begin with saltmarsh
Saltmarsh is one of many overlooked ecosystems, and it is where our work begins. These vegetated intertidal wetlands are found on almost every coastline in the world and are among the most valuable, yet least recognised, ecosystems on Earth. They can sequester carbon at rates up to thirty times higher than forests, burying it in waterlogged soils for centuries. They dissipate wave energy and reduce storm surges, filter nutrients from coastal waters, and serve as nurseries for fish and stopovers for migratory birds.
Yet saltmarshes have lost nearly half of their historical extent worldwide, and they are still disappearing at 0.28% a year, three times faster than forests. In the UK, an estimated 85% has been lost since the mid-19th century. Up to 2 million hectares could be restored globally, but saltmarsh is still missing from most national greenhouse gas inventories because the data is limited.
Salt of the Earth grows out of the science working to change that. Its Science Director is a UKCEH Principal Ecologist and the science lead for the UN Saltmarsh Breakthrough.
The gap
Despite all this, saltmarshes are among the most neglected habitats we have. They are rarely photographed, seldom celebrated, and too often lost without anyone noticing.
Saltmarsh is not alone. Many of the ecosystems we depend on most are the ones we notice least. The gap is bigger than any one habitat. Our culture is short of hopeful stories about people and nature together. Climate storytelling leans heavily on loss and elegy, and while those stories matter, they rarely move people to act. Meanwhile, the science that could guide restoration and the lived knowledge of the communities who care for these places seldom meet. Scientists speak one language, artists another, and local custodians are too often left out of the conversation entirely.
Salt of the Earth exists to close that gap, beginning with saltmarsh and extending, over time, to other overlooked ecosystems.
Everywhere we work, we start with the real stories of real people in the places that need attention most.