Benfleet and Southend Marshes
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
|
| Area of Search | Essex |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | TQ854847 |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 2099.7 hectares |
| Notification | 1987 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Benfleet and Southend Marshes are a 2077.7 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on Southend-on-Sea foreshore in Essex.[1][2] A slightly larger area of 2284 hectares is the Benfleet and Southend Marshes Ramsar site[3] and Special Protection Area.[4] An area of 257.5 hectares in the western part of the SSSI is the Leigh National Nature Reserve (NNR),[5][4] and this was listed in A Nature Conservation Review as a site of national importance.[1] The SSSI and NNR include the eastern half of Two Tree Island, which is managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust.[5][6] A large part of the site, 1083.9 hectares, is the Southend on Sea Foreshore Local Nature Reserve.[7][8]
The site has salt marshes, mudflats, scrub and grassland. The marshes and mudflats have internationally important numbers of wildfowl and waders, including the dark-bellied brent goose, grey plover, redshank and knot. Some areas are very important for scarce invertebrates, such as white-letter hairstreak and marbled white butterflies.[1]
References
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