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.
Search
Search
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
Cattle egret
This small, white heron is an increasingly common sight in parts of the UK as it spreads north from continental Europe.
Colne Point Nature Reserve
Colne Point is an impressive expanse of saltmarsh, creek and shingle, running along the coastline at the mouth of the Colne Estuary
My turning point
Volunteering on a nature reserve turned Adam’s life around after a difficult time in life. As Assistant Reserve Officer, wildlife is both his stress relief and his career.
Stone Point in Winter Guided Walk
Guided walk to Stone Point to see learn more about the area and the birds that take up residence there over winter.
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.…
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.
Mistle thrush
The mistle thrush likely got its name from its love of mistletoe - it will defend a berry-laden tree with extreme ferocity! It is larger and paler than the similar song thrush, standing upright…
Yellow-rattle
Brush through a wildflower meadow at the height of summer and you'll hear the tiny seeds of yellow-rattle rattling in their brown pods, hence its name.
Finding fungi
Here's a selection of our spectacular mushroom species and how you can identify them.