Wallasea Island

The south side of the island is one of the most tranquil places in Essex, where wildlife typical of open farmland such as skylarks, corn buntings and hares can be observed.

Rising sea levels are thought to have deposited the silt and sand which (together with older clays) underlie the island's soil.

Several archaeological features have been recorded on the south and east edges of the island, these are the "red hills" typical of the Roman period and were probably relics of a process of extraction of salt from sea water.

[3] On July 4, 2006, a £7.5 million project to convert part of the island's farmland into mudflats and salt marsh was completed by bulldozing 300m of the sea defence wall, at the points of maximum pressure on the estuary.

The wetlands are intended to provide winter grounds for wading birds, and ease flood problems on the River Crouch.

In December 2008, the RSPB submitted a planning application to Essex County Council for a £12 million scheme to break open Wallasea's remaining sea walls and turn the rest of the island's farmland into a wetland bird reserve.

In September 2012 it was announced that work had begun on the Wallasea Island Wild Coast Project[4][5] under which around 4.5 million tonnes of earth were transported to Wallasea Island, via over 1500 separate trips, many by rail and water, to help create the nature reserve from London's Crossrail tunnel (Elizabeth line) excavation.