Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • What we do
    Common carder bumblebee - Wildnet / Nick Upton

    Common carder bumblebee - Wildnet / Nick Upton

    We are the county’s leading conservation charity, committed  to protecting wildlife and inspiring a lifelong love of nature. We manage nature reserves and discovery parks across the county,  providing outstanding outdoor education and preserving places of wonder.

    • About us
      • Staff
      • Trustees
      • How we are funded
      • Job opportunities
      • Receive Wild news
      • Contact us
    • Our vision
    • News, blogs & publications
      • Latest news
      • Read our blogs
      • Publications
    • Protecting wildlife
    • Outdoor learning
      • Nature Nursery
      • Pre-school
      • Schools & colleges
      • Forest School
      • Family
      • Youth groups
      • Birthday parties
      • Adult training
      • Consultancy
    • Professional services
      • Essex Ecology Services
      • Essex records
  • Visit
    Bluebells

    Essex Wildlife Trust manages and protects over 8,400 acres of land on 87 nature reserves and run 11 Nature Discovery Centres. 

    • All locations (search)
    • Nature Discovery Centres
      • Abberton Reservoir
      • Bedfords
      • Belfairs
      • Chafford Gorges
      • Fingringhoe Wick
      • Hanningfield Reservoir
      • Ingrebourne
      • Langdon
      • The Naze
      • Thorndon Park
      • Thameside
    • Nature reserves
      • Search all nature reserves
      • Top spring reserves
      • Top summer reserves
      • Top autumn reserves
      • Top winter reserves
    • Themed nature trails
      • Brambly Hedge (Abberton)
      • Gruffalo (Thorndon)
      • Peter Rabbit (Langdon)
      • The Wind in the Willows (Hanningfield)
  • Wildlife
    Harvest Mouse

    Photo: Vaughn Matthews

    Learn about the wildlife found in Essex and across the UK and how you can help nature where you live.

    • Wildlife A - Z
    • Habitats A - Z
    • Webcams
      • Badgers
      • Barn Owls
      • Bats
      • Swallows
    • Report a sighting
    • Actions for wildlife
  • What's on
  • Get involved
    Common blue damselfly - Les Binns / Wildnet

    Common blue damselfly - Les Binns / Wildnet

    Support our vital work by becoming a member or volunteering your time. Find out about leaving a legacy or how you can help fundraise for us.

    • Membership
    • Volunteer
    • Campaign
      • 30 Days Wild
      • Action for Insects
      • Marine Month
      • Wilder Future
    • Corporate
    • Gift in Wills
    • Celebrate & commemorate
      • In memory donations
      • Tree of Life
      • Memorials
    • Fundraise
      • Fundraise for us
      • Shop & recycle
      • Wildlife lottery
    • Local groups
      • Basildon Natural History Society
      • Braintree
      • Brentwood & Billericay
      • Castle Point
      • Chelmsford
      • Colchester
      • Epping Forest
      • Havering
      • Maldon & South Woodham Ferrers
      • Southend & Rochford
      • Tendring
      • Uttlesford
  • Donate
  • Join Us

Auxiliary menu

  • Contact us
  • Jobs
  • Volunteer
  • News
  • Membership

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Youtube

You are here:

  1. Home
  2. Nature Reserves

Nature Discovery Centres and Nature Reserves

Sorry, there was a problem loading the map.
Aubrey Buxton Autumn

Aubrey Buxton Nature Reserve

Visit a beautifully wild nature reserve with its woodlands, ponds and species rich grasslands, filled with amazing wildlife

  • Ancient trees
  • Birdwatching
  • Butterflies
  • Fungi
  • Historical interest
Belfairs Wood

Belfairs Nature Discovery Centre

Belfairs Nature Discovery Centre is the gateway to the Daws Heath Woodland. The centre provides a space for schools, groups and families to learn about south Essex’s fantastic ancient woodlands in…

  • A family day out
  • Ancient trees
  • Butterflies
  • Dog walking
  • Exploring woods
Brookes nature reserve

Brookes Nature Reserve

Step into this wonderful pocket of ancient woodland and meadows, filled with wildflowers in spring and butterflies in summer

  • Ancient trees
  • Autumn colour
  • Butterflies
  • Spring flowers
  • Wildflowers
Cockaynes Wood in Autumn

Cockaynes Wood Nature Reserve

A beautiful mosaic habitat, Cockaynes Wood is situated in an area which was once extensively used for sand and gravel extraction and now supports a whole array of amazing wildlife

  • A sense of the wild
  • Ancient trees
  • Exploring woods
  • Insect spotting
Copperas Wood Anemones

Copperas Wood Nature Reserve

On the edge of the Stour Estuary, you'll find the flourishing Copperas Wood Nature Reserve, filled with blooming wild flowers in the spring

  • Ancient trees
  • Birdwatching
  • Butterflies
  • Exploring woods
  • Wildflowers
Crowsheath Wood

Crowsheath Wood Nature Reserve

Take a walk through this fantastic woodland that shows off one of Essex's best spring flower displays

  • Ancient trees
  • Autumn colour
  • Exploring woods
  • Spring flowers
Bluebells and Wood Anenomes at Backwarden

Danbury Ridge Nature Reserves

Danbury Ridge Nature Reserves are a wonderful mosaic of woodland, common, heathland, streams and bogs

  • Ancient trees
  • Birdwatching
  • Getting away from it all
  • Spring flowers
Gernon Bushes nature reserve

Gernon Bushes Nature Reserve

Step straight in to a fairy tale with this beautiful ancient woodland, filled with rare and fascinating marsh plants and flowers

  • Ancient trees
  • Exploring woods
  • Historical interest
Roding Valley

Roding Valley Meadows Nature Reserve

Visit the largest remaining species-rich water meadow in Essex with its famous display of wildflowers and wonderful mosaic of habitats

  • Ancient trees
  • Birdwatching
  • Butterflies
  • Getting away from it all
Roman River Valley

Roman River Valley Nature Reserve

Stroll along the banks of the Roman River in one of the best preserved river valleys in Essex, passing under swaying willow trees and into the peaceful woodland

  • Ancient trees
  • Exploring woods
  • Spring flowers
  • Load More

Essex Wildlife Trust

  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Stay in touch
  • Privacy policy

Get involved

  • Become a member
  • Make a donation
  • Volunteer with us
  • Job opportunities

Explore Essex

  • Nature Discovery Centres
  • Nature reserves
  • Nature trails
  • Events
Home

Love Essex - Love Wildlife

Essex Wildlife Trust Headquarters, Abbotts Hall Farm, Maldon Road, Great Wigborough, Colchester, CO5 7RZ
Registered Charity Number 210065    VAT Registered 945 7459 77    Company Number 00638666