Canvey Wick Nature Reserve
Located close to Sandy Bay, Canvey Wick was named a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 2005. The designation protected the site from future developments, it was subsequently taken on by the Land Trust which looks after public open spaces for the benefit of local communities. After a period of habitat restoration work, the nature reserve opened to the public in 2014.
Sandy Bay residents can walk along the seawall towards the Lobster Smack pub, just past the pub is Holehaven Creek, you can't miss it as the never completed oil refinery jetty dominates the area. Designed to accommodate oil tankers, the jetty has long been abandoned and now is just a home for birds such as pigeons and seagulls.
Image courtesy of The Land Trust Website
Buglife and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) are currently working in partnership to enhance and promote the Canvey Wick nature reserve as a community resource and a place for everyone to enjoy.
The current habitat restoration works that are taking place at Canvey Wick, are part of an exciting Buglife/RSPB 3-year partnership project, The project's aim is to make the whole area favourable for invertebrates and a better resource for local communities.
Consisting of meadows, grassland, and scrub on the shores of Holehaven Creek, Canvey Wick has been described as an area with "as many species per square metre... as there are in a rainforest", it’s one of the most important British sites for endangered invertebrates.
Buglife are very keen to get Canvey Island residents and local communities such as Sandy Bay involved with the project at Canvey Wick. They have a very enthusiastic Community Warden, Jo Loman, who is working to increase awareness and enthusiasm for the site amongst Canvey Islanders.
The Sandy Bay Park Residents Association will be looking at ways that we can cooperate with Jo during 2023. This could involve activities, such as organised walks, talks on the work being carried out at Canvey Wick and residents volunteering to help.
For a lot more information on Canvey Wick Nature Reserve, please follow the link:
More details can be found by following the links to the following websites:
- Buglife - Canvey Wick Website
- Buglife - Main Website Home Page
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
- The Land Trust