Essex Estuaries Complex

The Essex Estuaries Complex, located on the east coast of England, comprises four interconnected estuaries (Blackwater, Colne, Crouch and Roach). With Humber estuary, they host extensive intertidal mudflats and saltmarshes, highly productive and supporting fisheries, aquaculture and important bird populations, while also hosting several large managed realignment sites. Centuries of land reclamation and coastal defence infrastructure have strongly modified the estuarine systems.
Within REWRITE, the Essex and Humber demonstrator explore nature-based solutions such as saltmarsh restoration, oyster reef recovery and seagrass re-establishment, with the aim of enhancing biodiversity, coastal protection and blue carbon storage.

Characteristics

Habitats Types in Essex Estuaries Complex

30%

Mudflats

25%

Salt Marsh

45%

Sublittoral Mixed Sediments

Historical trajectories

Whole of estuary complex is bounded by sea defences, many constructed in 1953 and at end of built life span.
UK Shoreline Management Plans (SMP) for area identify multiple areas for potential re-alignement in periods 2025-50, and 2050-2100.
MP currently being refreshed, and new sea level rise predication need to be included.
Conservation (& restoration) of species and habitats in times of rapid changes and increasing human pressures (e.g., climate change

Main objectives

1

Analyse ecological trajectories of realigned and natural saltmarsh systems
2

Explore rewilding opportunities for saltmarsh, seagrass and oyster habitats
3

Support rewilding as nature-based coastal management for climate adaptation

Past, current and future restoration actions

Past and current

Series of accidental and managed coastal realignment, compensating intertidal loss due to coastal reclaimation along the Blackwater and Colne estuaries, including Northey Island (~8 ha, 1991), Tollesbury (~21 ha, 1995), Orplands (~42 ha, 1995), Abbotts Hall (~80 ha, 2002) and Fingringhoe Wick (~15 ha, 2015).
Future

Current and future salt marsh MR plans (10-100), wider coastal zone management, Landscape Recovery programmes, within and after REWRITE (2023 – 202X)

Synergy with other project (UK Marine Natural Capital Ecosystem Assessment, Project Seagrass – LIFE, ENORI - oysters)

Contact Person

Main contact

Graham Underwood