Crouch and Roach Estuaries
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 Paglesham Creek | |
| Location | Essex |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | TQ870970 |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 1729.1 hectares |
| Notification | 1990 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
The Crouch and Roach Estuaries are a 1729 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at the mouth of the Crouch and Roach rivers in Essex. The Crouch part of the SSSI stretches from near Battlesbridge to Foulness Island, and the Roach from Rochford to the junction with the Crouch.[1][2] Part of the site is in the Mid-Essex Coast Special Protection Area under the EC Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds,[3] and a Ramsar wetland site of international importance.[4] It is also part of the Essex Estuaries Special Area of Conservation.[5] An area of 65 hectares is managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust as the Lion Creek and Lower Raypits nature reserve[6] and 8 hectares at Woodham Fen, both of which are managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust.[7] A small area is also a geological SSSI, The Cliff, Burnham-on-Crouch.[8][9]
The site has salt marsh, intertidal mud, grazing marsh and a fresh water reservoir. The salt marsh has scarce species including lax-flowered sea-lavender and one-flowered glasswort. Rough grass has dense populations of the nationally scarce Roesel's bush-cricket. The site is internationally important for wintering dark-bellied brent geese, and nationally important for black-tailed godwits, shelducks and shoveller ducks. There are Red Data Book species of invertebrates such as the ground lackey moth.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Crouch and Roach estuaries citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
- ^ "Map of Crouch and Roach estuaries". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
- ^ "Crouch and Roach Estuaries (Mid-Essex" (PDF). Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
- ^ "Designated and Proposed Ramsar sites in the UK and Overseas Territories & Crown Dependencies". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
- ^ "Essex Estuaries". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ^ "Lion Creek and Lower Raypits Nature Reserve". Essex Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
- ^ "Woodham Fen Nature Reserve". Essex Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
- ^ "The Cliff, Burnham-on-Crouch citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
- ^ "Map of The Cliff, Burnham-on-Crouch". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 12 June 2016.