Essex Wildlife Trust hosts MP at Abbotts Hall nature reserve
Priti Patel, the MP for Witham, visited Essex Wildlife Trust (EWT) this week to discuss their ongoing work in conjunction with the RSPB, Harwich Haven Authority and the Environment Agency on the Blackwater Estuary Natural Flood Management Project.
As part of this scheme, they will be using beneficial use of dredged sediment (BUDS) to create and replenish sand and gravel beaches to protect coastal communities from flooding, whilst also creating new habitats for beach-nesting birds and other key species.
The project will directly protect 25km of coastal flood defence, 406 hectares of coastal floodplain grazing marsh and 240 hectares of coastal saltmarsh alongside boat moorings. It will also create and replenish 6.7ha of vegetated shingle beach habitat for beach-nesting birds.
Alongside the update on the Blackwater Estuary Natural Flood Management Project, Priti also had opportunity to discuss the ongoing work of the Wildlife Trust to protect and enhance wildlife across Essex. Essex Wildlife Trust’s work is supported by over 40,000 members, and 1,500 volunteers, and Priti was pleased to meet some of them during her visit to learn more about the work they do.
Priti said: “Protecting our natural environment and conserving our wildlife is important to my constituents and people right across Essex. The outstanding work of Essex Wildlife Trust and its dedicated team of volunteers is extremely inspiring to see first hand. The Flood Management Project will provide many of my constituents in coastal communities greater protections from flooding which is even more prevalent at this time of year. This project will allow defences to be erected while at the same time replenishing habitats for beach-nesting birds and other wildlife. I would like to thank all the volunteers and the team at Essex Wildlife Trust for all of the work they are doing to protect and enhance our local environment and communities.”
Rich Yates, Chief Executive for Essex Wildlife Trust, said:
“It was great to host Priti at Abbotts Hall nature reserve to brief her about some of our important partnership work in the Witham constituency and across the rest of the county. Priti was supportive of our plans to use dredged sediment in the Blackwater Estuary to create habitat for wildlife such as breeding coastal birds and mitigate flood risk for communities. This project is the best of both worlds: a solution with equally positive benefits for people and nature. Priti enjoyed hearing from our staff and partners, and discussing some of the big conservation issues we’re facing in Essex.”