Sea breaches RSPB reserves in Suffolk
Minsmere in normal conditions
A surge tide and strong north-westerly winds have led to flooding at RSPB nature reserves on the Suffolk coast.
Dingle Marshes and the Society's flagship reserve at Minsmere were both flooded during the early hours of Wednesday morning (1st November).
At Dingle Marshes, a reserve managed jointly with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, large sections of the shingle ridge were washed away and the sea flooded across the site killing large numbers of fish.
It's not the first time the reserve, valuable for its freshwater habitats and wildlife, has been flooded, but the sea has reached much farther inland than during the last major flood in 2003. Reserve staff spent much of yesterday moving livestock away from affected areas.
At Minsmere, a section of the dunes between Dunwich Cliffs and the reserve's north wall was washed away, inundating an area along the front of the reserve in front of the sea wall.
Salt water has not reached the 'scrape' or the main freshwater reedbeds, but the reserve has been left vulnerable to further flooding.
Both Dingle and Minsmere are internationally important for their wildlife, and both support breeding Bitterns, which have their stronghold in Suffolk.
These saltwater breaches underline the importance and vulnerability of freshwater wetlands on the Suffolk coast to coastal surges and sea level rise. Reedbeds on the Suffolk coast had 20 (more than 45 per cent) of the 44 booming Bitterns in the UK this year - but all in sites vulnerable to coastal change.
The RSPB stresses the need to create new freshwater wetlands secure from rising sea levels. While new freshwater habitats are being created, the RSPB wants to see coastal habitats protected, so far as is practical.
Projects are underway at both Dingle Marshes and Minsmere looking at the future of the sea defences. These projects, being managed by the Environment Agency, are making good progress in identifying options that can reduce the risk of saltwater flooding, and where necessary replace those habitats which cannot be sustainably protected.
RSPB Conservation Officer Renny Henderson said: "These recent floods underline the vulnerability of our freshwater wetlands, which are important for wildlife and for people. We must make progress on finding suitable options to manage the defences of these key wildlife sites and in planning for new sites for the future."
Bitterns are reedbed specialists, using the habitats for feeding and nesting. Of the 44 booming (calling) male birds in 2006, 20 were recorded on the Suffolk coast, which is the species stronghold and critical to the recovery of this scarce species. Of the 27 known Bittern nests in 2006, 18 (67%) were on the Suffolk coast.
The unique appeal of the Suffolk coast attracts visitors and underpins tourism, making a valuable contribution to the local economy. This illustrated by Minsmere RSPB nature reserve, which attracts more than 90,000 visitors annually and contributes more than 1 million pounds into the Suffolk coast Reference: Conservation works for local economies in the UK. RSPB unpublished report (2001)
A report called 'Suffolk's Changing Coast making space for wildlife and people' was published last year by the RSPB, endorsed by English Nature, the National Trust, Suffolk Wildlife Trust (SWT) and the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership. This stressed the need to plan for the replacement of coastal habitats already lost to the sea through erosion and coastal squeeze - and for areas vulnerable to coastal change in the coming years. More information: http://www.rspb.org.uk/england/eastanglia/action/suffolkcoast.asp
