Nature recovery is a key part of our ongoing work to conserve and enhance the Suffolk & Essex Coast & Heaths National Landscape. Our Nature Network Officer, Alex Moore da Luz, provides a round-up from all of our nature recovery projects and volunteer work parties for Janaury 2024.

Bawdsey

In partnership with Bawdsey Parish Council, the National Landscape is helping to bridge the gap between two Nature Recovery Core Zones by creating new corridors for wildlife in the form of hedges and trees.

Volunteers have been out for 3 days in January helping to plant and we hope to create nearly 900m of new wildlife habitat when we finish.

Wat Tyler Country Park – Basildon

Wildlife experts met in person at Wat Tyler CP to help Essex County Council prioritise the species that should be included on the Essex LNRS short list. The challenge was to whittle down the existing list by identifying which species are the most significant in Essex and which ones can most realistically be helped in the future.

This work is ongoing, and the species priority list will be published soon. Many Dedham Vale and Coast & Heaths Nature Recovery Plan species are included at the moment.

Leiston

Tree poppers at the ready, volunteers helped to clear birch saplings from Leiston Common in partnership with the Freedom Group who manage the Sizewell Estate.

This is part of ongoing work to restore heathland which will benefit numerous species of wildlife.

Dunwich

In partnership with the Greyfriars Trust the National Landscape volunteers helped to plant a new hedge and gap up an existing hedge totalling 315m in total.

One of the hedges will help provide a natural, wildlife benefiting solution to keeping walkers and dogs off the eroding bank along the periphery of the Greyfriars site.

Trimley Marshes

Work is underway at the Suffolk Wildlife Trust Trimley Marshes nature reserve which includes habitat creation and anti-predator fencing work.

Above are some photos kindly provided Joe Underwood who is overseeing the work on site. The project is funded through the Farming In Protected Landscape Scheme.

Hedgerow Heroes Planting

A big well done to Greg and the Hedgerow Hero Volunteers. 15 volunteers have been trained to date and they have managed to survey an amazing 17.3km of hedges in the Suffolk & Essex Coast & Heaths National Landscape.

Upcoming tasks in February

• Saturday 3rd February – Hedge Planting at Stratford Hall Farm
• Friday 9th February – Coppicing at Tiger Hill, Assington
• Friday 16th February – Hedge Planting at Leiston
• Friday 23rd February – Wader Fence Erection at Shotley