Newhaven mural celebrates restoration project

A visual legacy celebrating a project aimed at restoring seagrass and oysters to the Firth of Forth has been unveiled.

The mural in the grounds of the Heart of Newhaven Community Centre celebrates the innovative Restoration Forth initiative which aims to bring back seagrass meadows and European flat oysters to the waterway.

Edinburgh based mural artist and illustrator Natasha Russell was commissioned by the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh to bring to life the restoration activities across the Forth. 

Local residents, alongside pupils from Victoria Primary School, attended workshops to explore what the themes and design of the artwork would be.

Artist Natasha Russell said: “It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with the local community and Restoration Forth, RBGE and Heart of Newhaven in order to design this mural.

“Through creating the artwork we wanted to celebrate and help to spark interest in the return of oysters to the Firth of Forth and the ways that they can benefit local communities once again by enhancing water quality and supporting biodiversity. The mural also looks to capture the story of how the oysters in the Forth used to support fishing communities in Newhaven and highlights how our relationship with this species has changed over time.

“Through painting the mural at the Heart of Newhaven we hope to support the lively environment of this community space and to make an artwork that is accessible to the wide range of people who pass this wall.”

Workshop participant Beth Cockerline said: “It was so lovely to come together to discuss the mural , the local community and learn about the beauty and importance of the oysters.

“I’ve been telling everyone how cool and vital they are.”

Workshop participant Lucy Neville said: “I have loved the opportunity to be involved in the mural workshops. The Forth was once such a biodiverse estuary filled with life that supported us communities.

“Volunteering with Restoration Forth has given me the faith that it can be that way again. And the mural will be a daily reminder of our history, present and potential future, as a community that is part of the river and sea.”

Heart of Newhaven is a community hub for the Restoration Forth project, aiming to engage local people with efforts to restore and enhance the Firth of Forth.

Judy Crabb, Chair of Heart of Newhaven said: “It is a great privilege for us to be the location for a beautiful mural that represents such an important part of the heritage of this area.  We can’t wait to share it with everyone that visits the Heart for years to come.”

The oyster beds around the Firth of Forth were some of the most famous in Scotland over the 17th and 18th centuries.   Oysters were significant for jobs, the economy and diet in the local Newhaven and Leith areas. 

The ‘Newhaven Fishwives’ would sell oysters around Edinburgh and were a prominent part of the community.  Some records show that nearly 30 million oysters were fished from the Firth of Forth annually.  Unfortunately, overfishing and industrial development led to the local extinction of oysters in the area. 

We now understand a lot more about the benefits of oysters within an ecosystem. Where there are oyster reefs, you can also find juvenile fish, crabs, sea snails, sponges and more! By reintroducing European flat oysters to the Firth of Forth, we’re creating a sanctuary for a vast array of marine life.  Recent research suggests that by restoring healthy oyster beds, biodiversity could potentially double over a 10-year period.

Restoration Forth was recently announced as a finalist at the Nature of Scotland Awards.

The aim of Restoration Forth, a partnership with communities and organisations, is to restore 4 hectares of seagrass meadows and European flat oyster beds in the Firth of Forth. Partners delivering Restoration Forth include WWF, Edinburgh Shoreline, Fife Coast & Countryside Trust, Heriot Watt University, Marine Conservation Society, Project Seagrass, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scottish Seabird Centre, The Ecology Centre, and The Heart of Newhaven Community. 

This three-year programme has been made possible by funding from Aviva, the Moondance Foundation, the ScottishPower Foundation, and Sky; this project is also supported by the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, facilitated by the Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund, and managed by NatureScot. 

PICTURE: ANDREW PERRY

Victoria Primary School Head Teacher Rhian Chapman cuts the ribbon with some of the pupils that were involved in the mural design workshops