Saltmarshes are located all around the UK coastline but vary considerably in extent and character between those that inhabit lowland areas and those which inhabit upland areas. The table and figure below show the distribution of saltmarsh sites in the UK.

Distribution of saltmarshes in the United Kingdom (from Boorman, 2003)

Lowland marshes, by definition, inhabit low lying geographic areas and account for the majority of saltmarsh habitat in the UK. Examples of lowland marshes include those of the Wash, Morecambe Bay, Liverpool Bay and the Solway Firth. In contrast, upland areas do not form continuous swards of saltmarsh habitat but, instead, support a more scattered distribution of mainly small, isolated marshes, either associated with minor estuaries, as is the case in England and Wales, or at the head of Scottish sea lochs where there is shelter from wave action.

Distribution of saltmarsh sites in the United Kingdom, showing distribution of sites by size (cited in Boorman, 2003)

* Refers to designated saltmarsh sites only

The table above indicates that England accounts for over 70% of saltmarsh habitat present in the UK , with over 45% of that total occurring between Lincolnshire and Kent . Of the estimated 6,000ha of saltmarsh in Wales, nearly half (2,876ha) can be found in Llanelli and West Glamorgan; while of the 380 saltmarsh sites that are present in Scotland, over 70% are less than 10ha in extent, with Nithsdale on the west coast accounting for over 1000ha of habitat.