Defra

Introduction

The Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) scheme has now closed to new applicants. Defra introduced a new Environmental Stewardship Scheme on 3 March 2005 which supersedes (with enhancements) the ESA and Countryside Stewardship Schemes. These pages are in the process of being updated to reflect the latest information relating to this ESA.

The ESA extends over 28,600 hectares of coastal grassland and associated arable areas bordering the estuaries and creek systems of Hamford Water and the Rivers Stour, Colne, Blackwater, Crouch and Thames (in the vicinity of Canvey Island). The extent of the marshes ranges from a narrow fringe beside the estuaries to broad coastal tracts and extensive islands such as Foulness.

Description

The Essex Coast is nationally important because of its extensive areas of grazing marsh and river valley grassland that display historic farming and land reclamation patterns, and support a wide range of wildlife. Land in the ESA is flat or gently sloping and mostly low lying, with soils predominately comprising deep, stoneless clays or silty clays. Although the land is generally just above sea level, it is dependent on sea walls for protection against flooding. The ESA is bordered on the landward side by higher often sloping, ground and to the seaward side, usually beyond the sea defences, the ESA is bordered by beaches, saltmarsh and mudflats often with tidal creeks. The coastal grazing marshes of the Essex Coast were formed from saltmarshes along the coastal fringe over many hundreds of years by gradual improvement of sea defences and the grazing of livestock. Arable land now predominates and cereals form the main crop. Grassland areas have been traditionally used for summer grazing and are now fragmented due to their conversion to arable uses. There is a wealth of archaeological interest, ranging from evidence of Mesolithic activity to post medieval and modern period sites/structures. The earlier activity includes the largest concentration of salt production sites in the country, whilst the more modern include armament production and defensive sites such as Martello Towers.

Significant Habitats and Species

The Essex Coast is one of the top five coastal wetlands in Britain in terms of its value to bird, invertebrate and plant communities, some of which are nationally rare or scarce. The main ecological interest comprises the grazing marshes, associated borrow dykes and ditches, as well as the sea wall grassland. The ESA includes five National Nature Reserves (NNRs) and ten Special Protection Areas (SPAs), nine Ramsar sites, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and proposed Marine Special Areas for Conservation (SACs). The range of habitats support a number of rare plants such as Least lettuce and Sea Hog's Fennel and animals such as Fisher's Estuarine Moth.

ESA Management Options

The management options for the different landscape types that can be entered into ESA agreements for the Essex Coast are given in the ERDP documents section of this site, under Annex X of the England Rural Development Programme. There three main management options that land can be entered into:

• Option one provides for extensive management of existing grassland, with restrictions on cultivation, fertiliser and pesticide applications. The land must be kept in agricultural use by grazing or by cutting and removing grass for hay or silage. The traditional landscape and the archaeological and historical features must not be damaged.
• Option two provides for the maintenance of wet grassland and marshland. For the wet grassland same restrictions as option one apply, and water levels must be maintained in ditches during the spring and summer months. The grassland must be grazed but at restricted stocking levels. In the case of marshland the high water levels must be maintain throughout the year.
• Option three provides for the reversion of arable land to permanent grassland.

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