Garden snail (Helix aspersa) crawling along low retaining wall - Nick Upton/2020VISION
Gunners Park and Shoebury Ranges nature reserve had their first breeding sparrowhawks in seven years. Ranger Andrew got some fantastic shots of the brood, as you can see below. If you are visiting this reserve, keep your eyes on the skies for these young predators swooping overhead.
Credit: Andrew Armstrong
Credit: Andrew Armstrong
Credit: Andrew Armstrong
Predator exclusion fence will help protect vulnerable ground-nesting birds.
The latest conservation project at Blue House Farm nature reserve is well underway, with the completion of a predator exclusion fence. Soon, earthworks will begin to create scrapes and mounds that will retain water for longer periods of the year. Through the project, we are hoping to see improved numbers of ground-nesting bird breeding success and increased biodiversity at this site.
Planting wildlife-friendly plants - Katrina Martin / 2020VISION
With thanks to funding from The People’s Postcode Lottery, the Trust will be delivering Nextdoor Nature, a two-year scheme bringing communities together to help nature flourish in Clacton, Jaywick, Thurrock and Basildon. Our Wilder Community Officers, Adam and Helen, will be supporting members of these local areas to help nature on their doorstep. Watch this space!
Trust volunteer Mick, assembling the PlanktoScope
Wildlife Trusts all over the country, at coastal locations and inland on our waterways, have partnered with the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) on a citizen science project to increase our understanding of the UK’s plankton communities and the spread of microplastics. Volunteers and staff have been collecting samples around The Naze. We hope to raise awareness of these tiny life forms and use the PlanktoScope to conduct long-term monitoring of plankton populations.
Our conservation projects would not be possible without your support. Become a member with Essex Wildlife Trust today, and help us make conservation happen.
