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Life project
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The Alde-Ore estuary is important for many species of European importance. Because of this, a new EU Life+ funded project has been set-up to sustain and enhance the habitats and species at Orford Ness and Havergate Island.
This new project builds on work supported by previous LIFE grants and work already carried out on by us at Havergate Island and The National Trust at Orford Ness.
Project objectives
The main aims of this project are to manage and improve the habitats within the estuary. This will help the sites to adapt to climate change, improve the chances of successful breeding of sandwich terns, little terns and avocets.
There will also be improvements for people as well as wildlife with an improved visitor experience to the two sites. Throughout the project work, the outcomes will be shared to a wide audience.
To enable adaptation to the effects of climate change, the project aims to establish efficient and sustainable water management of the lagoons at Havergate Island and the lagoons and marshes at Orford Ness. This will also provide long-term improvements to the habitats.
Improving the breeding success of avocets and sandwich terns is one of the major aims of this project. To achieve this, work will involve creating new breeding sites as well as improving the existing sites and habitats. The project also aims to significantly improve the protection to breeding birds from predation and disturbance. This will be achieved through improving fencing, ditching, remote monitoring work and predator control measures.
Currently there is disturbance and damage to the southern section of Orford Ness spit. Managing and controlling improper access onto this site will prevent the increasing damage to shingle habitats and protect breeding little terns.
The project staff will monitor and evaluate the effects of the project work on the birds, habitats and species, and will use this information to develop future site management plans.
We’ll keep you posted with the latest news when it happens. In the meantime you can visit the project website, via the link on the right of this page.