Essex waterfowl sites are protected

Two important sites for waterfowl in Essex have been given the strongest environmental protections available.

Allfleet’s Marsh and Brandy Hole, which form part of the Crouch and Roach estuaries, have now been made Special Protection Areas (SPA), Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and designated as a Ramsar wetland of international importance.

Both sites provide suitable habitat for wintering waterfowl such as dark-bellied brent geese, lapwing, shoveler and golden plover.

Kate Jennings, head of site conservation policy at the RSPB, said: “The Essex coast used to be a place full of amazing and abundant wildlife, but over the last 400 years, land claim for agriculture, coastal erosion and rising sea levels have taken their toll.

“The extended designation … is a major step towards restoring this spectacular place.”