Nature and Wildlife
Nature and Wildlife
You will be spoilt for choice here in the Maldon District. With many special areas of protected status it shows how significant and special our landscapes are for wildlife.
The District has eight Sites of Special Scientific Interest and three Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance. These areas are ideal for visitors looking to discover the wide variety of unique habitats and species that call the Maldon District home.
The Essex Coast is internationally important for numbers of breeding and non-breeding birds and their coastal habitats. Winter brings in record numbers of Brent Geese, hen harriers, merlins and short-eared owls that hunt on the grazing marsh.
Related Pages
Nature Reserves
The Maldon District currently has at least ten Nature Reserves located across our countryside and coastline, including the Dengie National Nature Reserve and Blackwater Estuary National Nature Reserves.
Essex Wildlife
Essex Wildlife Trust protects wildlife through landscape conservation and education. The Trust manages a number of nature reserves and discovery centres across the Maldon District. Their campaigns aim to help to give wildlife a greater voice in our county.
Blackwater Estuary Nature Reserve
The Blackwater Estuary National Nature Reserve is located on the estuary of the River Blackwater between Maldon and West Mersea in Essex. It is a 5,538 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Ramsar Wetland of International Importance and Special Protection Area.
The Dengie National Nature Reserve
The Dengie National Nature Reserve is a large and remote area of tidal mudflat and saltmarsh between the Blackwater and Crouch Estuaries near Bradwell-on-Sea.
Marine Wildlife
Is it a seal? Is it a porpoise? Is it a dolphin? You might spot any of these sea mammals in the estuaries of the River Blackwater and the River Crouch and around the Saltmarsh Coast