A specially designed information hoard has recently been erected on the main outflow sluice. It is located down near the borrowdyke about 250 metres after you enter the reserve from the Marina. It explains to visitors the important management issues of the reserve and illustrates some of the wildlife that has benefited from the improved water levels. The Trust would like to thank the Environment Agency team for their considerable help in erecting the sign to show it off to its best advantage.

New Reserve Leaflet

An updated self guiding leaflet has just come back from the printers. In time to benefit the winter visitors to the reserve who come to see our other winter visitors the birds! They are obtainable from the leaflet dispenser on the gate at the Marina entrance to the reserve, or at the ‘Lighthouse’. The text is very much the same, although it describes more clearly how to get to the reserve entrance from the car park at Woodrolfe Green especially important for the first time visitor. There is also an enlarged map allowing more detail information to be included. My thanks to Michael Renshaw who has consistently recharged the leaflet dispenser at the reserve entrance gates at the Marina, for the last 3 years! I hope he can continue to volunteer his help as the new leaflets come into use.

Loos all year round!

Thanks to Maldon District Council who found extra funding to keep the toilets open all year round at Woodrolfe Green Car Park. This means that winter visitors to the reserve will now be able to use these facilities that were formally only open during the summer months. If you do find the toilets closed, please do not hesitate to ring Community Services at the Council Offices on 01621 854477.

Big Fencing Project

Almost 6km of fencing has just been completed one of the major Heritage Lottery funded projects for the reserve. A skilful team of fence contractors spent two months erecting stock fencing this summer, mainly to replace old, weak fences that have been due for replacement for years. Stock management will be greatly improved while damage to sensitive habitats such as reed beds and ditch edges will be limited. The Warden has now got hours of work ahead finishing off and taking down the old fences. Volunteers who would like to help, please contact him on 868628.

Tide line tidy!

At the beginning of May, a good turnout of local volunteers was boosted by the additional help from the EWT Flying Squad team. The job in hand, to pick up all the winter rubbish along the tide-line from the Marina to Shinglehead Point. With so many to help, it made the task easy and enjoyable and all was completed by lunchtime. The next clean up will be next Spring so please come and join us and help to keep our shoreline litter free. In the meantime, many thanks to: Mitze & Jeremy Alderton, Lotte Anderson, Ann Crossley, Phil & Christopher Henson, Mary Kernaghan, Anne Kerridge, Margaret Shove and Lucy Smith from the village; Danielle Hughes, Trish & Mike Ingram, Mark Patterson, Chris & Fiona Robinson and John Thomson from the Flying Squad.