Flame shell
It's easy to see where this stunning bivalve got its name from - the bright orange tentacles emerging from the shell really do look like flames!
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Local Wildlife Sites
Local Wildlife Sites are areas of land that are especially important for their wildlife. They are some of our most valuable wildlife areas.
Ray Island photo wins the public vote!
Essex Wildlife Trust’s Photography Competition 2018 winner announced
Urgent: Help protect Local Wildlife Sites
Essex Wildlife Trust urges people to call for protection for Local Wildlife Sites
Planning
Essex is blessed with a rich and varied wildlife heritage and the county is famous for its coastline, arguably the longest in England; the coastal wetlands of Essex are renowned for their extensive areas of grazing marsh, lagoons, shingle, mudflats, saltmarsh, fresh water pools and reedbeds. In addition, there are extensive river systems, tracts of ancient woodland, mosaic and grassland, and important brownfield sites, with heaths, wetlands and important wildlife corridors scattered throughout the county within the wider farmed countryside. These beautiful wild places are vulnerable and many are under threat from development.
Lapwing
The distinctive rounded wings of the lapwing are displayed beautifully when it wheels around a winter sky in a massive flock. In spring, these flocks disperse and some birds breed in the UK.…
Finding fungi
Here's a selection of our spectacular mushroom species and how you can identify them.
Funding Partnerships
Essex Wildlife Trust works in partnership with a multitude of individuals, groups and partner organisations.
Sanding up for Essex’s insects
Essex Wildlife Trust takes action for insects in Essex by creating new vital sand bank habitat at their Two Tree Island nature reserve
Wading into autumn
For many birdwatchers things are just hotting up! We might be reaching the end of summer, but this is when a group of birds known as waders start to appear on our shores. Here are ten waders to…
Land caddis
The Land caddis is the only caddisfly in the UK to spend its entire time on land, with no stage in water. Look in oak leaf litter over winter to see the grainy cases of the larvae, in which they…
Lakes
Lakes come in many forms: some are splendid and clear, while others are more reminiscent of a murky swamp. Each lake is strongly influenced by the underlying lakebed and the surrounding landscape…