Coastal Areas and Rivers: Environment Protection
(asked on 27th February 2026) - View Source
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what targets his Department has set for the creation of new natural habitats along rivers and coastlines.
Answered by
Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have a statutory habitat target which include rivers and coastal habitats, but no sub-targets for habitat types.
The revised Environmental Improvement Plan includes prioritised actions to deliver our goals and the ambitious Environment Act targets. It included a commitment to increase saltmarsh by 15% compared to 2009 levels by 2043.
The Environment Agency (EA) has a national target for Hectares of habitat created or restored delivering Environmental Net Gain Goals of 680 Ha for 2025/26. The target for 2026/27 is currently being agreed.
In addition, the EA initiative Restoring Meadows Marsh and Reef will deliver the Environment Improvement Plan 2025 commitment by 2043 to increase saltmarsh by 15% compared to 2009 levels, seagrass by 15% compared to 2024 levels and create functional oyster reef habitat.