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    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.

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    Two Tree Island nature reserve

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    Brown Hare  - Photo: David Tipling/2020VISION

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    Photo - Amy Lewis

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  2. Nature Reserves

Nature Discovery Centres and Nature Reserves

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Chigborough Lakes Autumn

Chigborough Lakes Nature Reserve

Once gravel pits, this land was flooded and transformed into a wildlife haven where you can discover new wildlife round every bend or sit back on one of the benches and take it all in

  • Birdwatching
  • Getting away from it all
  • Spring flowers
  • Spring migrant birds
  • 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
Wardens hut at Colne Point

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

  • Beachcombing
  • Big skies
  • Birdwatching
  • Overwintering birds
  • Stunning views
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
Wall Brown - Amy Lewis

Cranham Marsh Nature Reserve

A woodland oasis located inside the M25, this relic marshland is a prime example of what the countryside would have looked like

  • Birdwatching
  • Butterflies
  • Getting away from it all
  • Spring flowers
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
Fingringhoe Wick visitor centre

Fingringhoe Wick Nature Discovery Park

Fingringhoe Wick was Essex Wildlife Trust's first nature reserve (1961), some years later it was where the Trust opened their first visitor centre. Sixty years on visitors are still coming…

  • A family day out
  • Birdwatching
  • Getting away from it all
  • Spring migrant birds
  • Stunning views
Fobbin Marsh Marc Outten

Fobbing Marsh Nature Reserve

Wander through one of the few remaining Thameside grazing marshes; full of flowering plants and visiting migrant birds

  • Big skies
  • Butterflies
  • Insect spotting
  • Spring migrant birds
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
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Love Essex - Love Wildlife

Essex Wildlife Trust Headquarters, Abbotts Hall Farm, Maldon Road, Great Wigborough, Colchester, CO5 7RZ
Telephone: 01621 862960 Email: admin@essexwt.org.uk
Registered Charity Number 210065    VAT Registered 945 7459 77    Company Number 00638666