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.
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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
Wilder Communities Webinar: Military History on our Sites
In recognition of VE day and VJ day at 80 and the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
Hart's-tongue fern
The hart's-tongue fern is a hardy fern of damp, shady places in woodlands. It also makes a good garden fern. It has simple, tongue-shaped, glossy, green leaves that have orange spores on…
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.
Heath fritillary
The rare heath fritillary was on the brink of extinction in the 1970s, but conservation action turned its fortunes around. It is still confined to a small number of sites in the south of England,…
On land and at sea, the UK Government’s planning policy is a mess
As the Planning and Infrastructure Bill is set to be debated by Parliament next week, Joan Edwards takes stock.
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.…
Sixty years of leading wildlife conservation in Essex
Sixty years of leading wildlife conservation in Essex.
Small heath
The small heath is the smallest of our brown butterflies and has a fluttering flight. It favours heathlands, as its name suggests, as well as other sunny habitats.
Heath bumblebee
The Heath bumblebee is not only found on heathland, but also in gardens and parks. It nests in small colonies of less than 100 workers in all kinds of spots, such as old birds' nests, mossy…