24th September, 2025
This World Rivers Day - Sunday 28 September - we’re celebrating the Sharpham Estate's saltmarshes.
Sharpham literally means “a bend in the river,” and its saltmarshes are part of the extraordinary ecosystem of the River Dart in South West Devon. Recently recognised as a County Wildlife Site, they are being restored and managed to support wildlife, improve water quality and strengthen the estuary’s resilience.
Saltmarshes absorb and lock away more carbon than forests, buffer riverbanks from erosion, filter excess nutrients and salts, and provide food and shelter for countless species. Yet over 85% of England’s saltmarsh has been lost to development and changing land use, with more threatened by sea level rise and climate change.
With funding and support from the Environment Agency, Bioregional Learning Centre and partners including South Devon National Landscape, The Sharpham Trust's saltmarsh project is restoring around four hectares of vital marshland. Volunteers and nature conservation trainees have installed hazel and willow bundles to trap sediment and encourage plant growth, and work has begun repairing the dry stone wall protecting the saltmarsh.
The Sharpham Estate operates as a social enterprise, where nature connection and mental health go hand in hand. As Julian Carnell, Sharpham Trust director, observes: “World Rivers Day is a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness of the Dart estuary’s importance for wildlife, clean water and just as importantly, our wellbeing.”
Find out more about World Rivers Day here