Our vision for The Wash and North Norfolk Coast Priority Landscape

Our vision for this Priority Landscape sees it recognised as one of the largest and most productive coastal wetlands in Europe. It’s a landscape where wildlife and people flourish. Waterbirds continue to use the freshwater and saline habitats in their millions, and shorebirds have the space they need to thrive.  

These spectacles are celebrated by local communities and international audiences, as part of the East Coast Wetlands World Heritage Site. In addition, these internationally important habitats are protected, not just by legislation, but by a strong sense of pride amongst communities and stakeholders.  

Work to create an extensive network of new habitats will also have helped the landscape adapt to rising sea levels and droughts brought about through climate change.  

The Wash and North Norfolk Coast is home to an array of internationally important wildlife, and an important stop-off point for passage birds travelling along the East Atlantic flyway. The Wash itself is the most extensive bay in England, home to the UK’s largest gathering of wintering waterbirds and one of the most important wetlands for wildlife in Europe.   

The Wash boundary stretches from Gibraltar Point along the Lincolnshire coast in the east, to Hunstanton on the Norfolk coast. The North Norfolk Coast area of the Priority Landscape extends east from Hunstanton, ending at Salthouse/Kelling.  

RSPB reserves located within the Priority Landscape are: Titchwell Marsh, Snettisham, Frampton Marsh and the newly expanded habitats of Freiston Shore. 

The Priority Landscape contains four Special Protection Areas (SPAs), two Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), three Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), two Ramsar sites, six National Nature Reserves (NNRs), one formerly designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), one Key Biodiversity Area and a significant part of the East Coast Flyway (a candidate for becoming an UNESCO World Heritage Site). 

The Wash is one of the UK’s last great wildernesses. It’s the largest estuarine system in the UK, measuring around 62,000 ha (620 km2) and is the most important estuary for birds in the UK. Over two million birds visit each year with an average of 400,000 individuals present each winter. 

The Wash and North Norfolk Coast also form a significant part of the UK’s East Coast Wetlands and are a key component of the East Atlantic Flyway. 

Over half of The Wash is permanently under water, with the remaining areas made up of intertidal mud and sand, saltmarsh and other habitats. These provide food, shelter and rest areas for invertebrates, birds and mammals, as well as providing many social, economic, and commercial benefits to local communities. 

The wildlife, seclusion and beauty of The Wash bring pleasure to many, and the landscape supports significant levels of tourism. Locally, the benefits of the estuary for health and wellbeing are well recognised. The fisheries and shellfisheries are also important cultural elements of the landscape that support the local economy. 

The habitats of The Wash also provide substantial natural flood management and significant levels of carbon storage. The saltmarshes alone can sequester 4,320 tonnes of carbon per year, with an estimated 1.224 million tonnes in the top 30cm of sediment alone!  

The North Norfolk Coast holds some of the most spectacular beaches in Britain, which are enjoyed by millions of people each year. As well as bringing vital economic benefits to local communities, the beaches are also used by internationally important numbers of breeding shorebirds.  

The sandy coastal habitats are complimented by more areas of saltmarsh, vital for breeding Redshanks and Oystercatchers, whilst freshwater wetland habitats behind coastal defences support Common Terns, Avocets and Marsh Harriers, amongst many others.

The Wash and North Norfolk Coast provide countless homes for nature and a plethora of services for people, including natural flood defences and wellbeing benefits. However, these benefits are intrinsically linked to a healthy coast, which we know is at risk from the effects of growing recreational disturbance, intensive farming, development and climate change. 

1. To reconnect people to The Wash and its cultural and wildlife importance. By doing this, we aim to develop a sustainable, long-term approach to management that protects and helps the landscape evolve in response to the many threats it faces. 
2. To encourage visitors to use the coast responsibly. 
3. To reduce and manage recreational disturbance to allow wildlife to thrive. 
4. To create a suite of new wetland habitats to compensate for coastal change which allow breeding and wintering birds to thrive through the provision of safe areas for breeding, feeding and roosting. 
5. To protect the incredible existing habitats from inappropriate development. 
6. To develop a greater understanding of the ecology of coastal birds. 
7. For the landscape to be made part of a World Heritage Site by 2035. 

• The number of Ringed Plovers chicks fledging from the Plovers in Peril project has increased by 200% since 2021. 
• Saltmarsh-breeding Redshank surveys have been completed across the Priority Landscape. 597 pairs were recorded, along with 292 pairs of Oystercatchers. This is a decline on past numbers but highlights that the Priority Landscape remains the most important site in the UK for these species. 
• A 17ha (hectare) tidal lagoon has been created at Freiston Shore and existing habitat enhanced to provide more opportunities for wildlife and people. 
• We’re progressing a 2000ha Landscape Recovery Project that would link Freiston Shore to the south coast of The Wash and create more opportunities for people to the south of Boston. 
• We’re working with partners, stakeholders and local communities to implement positive change on the coast, engaging with beach users and local businesses to promote a greater understanding of recreational disturbance. 
• We’re working with the Norfolk Coast Protected Landscape team to deliver further community-based work along the North Norfolk coast through events, pop-up stands and materials for local businesses.  
• We’re exploring opportunities for habitat creation alongside partners, as well as undertaking major habitat works on our reserves to make them more climate resilient. This includes creation of saline lagoons at Freiston and Titchwell, and improving saltmarsh management at Frampton. 

Watch this page for updates or get in touch by emailing The Wash and North Norfolk Conservation Officer, Ed Tooth, at ed.tooth@rspb.org.uk 

Our partners include the Environment Agency, Le Strange Estate, Lincolnshire County Council, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, National Trust, Natural England, Norfolk County Council, Norfolk Coast Protected Landscape Team, Norfolk Ornithologists Association, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Operation Turtle Dove, Parish Councils, Wash Wader Research Group, Wild Ken Hill and WWF. 

• Defending The Wash Casework Page
• East Coast Wetlands World Heritage Site 
• Norfolk Coast Protected Landscape 
• Operation Turtle Dove
• Plovers in Peril 
• Wash Wader Research Group