Muddy marvellous: celebrating 10 years of transformation at Wallasea Island

Ten years ago, you’d have been more likely to spot wheat than waders at Wallasea Island.  

But today, this stretch of the Essex coast is a thriving wetland alive with life. Spoonbills sift through saline lagoons, Short-eared Owls glide low over the reeds, and clouds of wading birds swoop and swirl across the sky.   

So how did an ordinary patch of farmland become one of the UK’s most remarkable conservation success stories? 

Let’s go back to the beginning… 

For centuries Wallasea Island was part of a vast network of wetlands stretching across the UK’s east coast. These habitats provided food and shelter for wildlife, locked away climate-warming carbon, and helped protect the coast from erosion. 

But then came sea walls, drainage and farming – and wild wetlands like Wallasea disappeared.  

By the early 2000s, with rising sea levels threatening the land, it was clear that the days of farming at Wallasea were numbered. That’s when the RSPB stepped in with an ambitious vision: to give the sea – and nature – room to return. 

The plan was to use a technique called ‘managed realignment’, where sea walls are breached to allow the tide to reclaim the land. 

Sounds pretty straightforward, doesn’t it? In reality, it’s a bit more complicated. 

Simply knocking down the sea wall wasn’t an option, as the land was below sea level and the incoming tides would have surged in, affecting the surrounding area. Instead, we needed to raise the level of the land first, using vast quantities of earth.  

But where from? 

As luck would have it, over in London, Crossrail was busily carving out millions of tonnes of earth from beneath the capital to form tunnels for the new Elizabeth Line – and all that surplus soil needed somewhere to go. 

It was a match made in heaven! 

Between 2008 and 2015, 3 million tonnes of soil made the journey from London to Wallasea by boat, train and truck. 

“When I first started working at Wallasea, it looked like a moonscape” recalls Rachel Fancy, RSPB Site Manager. “There were diggers and dumper trucks everywhere – not what you’d expect on a nature reserve!” 

By July 2015, the earth had been sculpted into a landscape of gentle slopes, islands and lagoons and it was finally time for the moment of truth. Three breaches were made in the old sea wall and for the first time in 400 years, seawater flowed back in. 

Jubilee Marsh was born.  

Within months, the tides had carried in sediment, seeds, and nutrients, building up the mudflats and saltmarsh. Minibeasts set up home in the mud and birds began flocking in to feast on the bounty. 

Just two years later, 12,000 birds were spending the winter at Wallasea. 

Fast forward to today, and the numbers have exploded. In December 2024, a record 39,000 birds were counted at the reserve. Grey Plovers, Knots, Shovelers and Bar-tailed Godwits gather in internationally important numbers. Short-eared Owls and Hen Harriers patrol the skies. And rare insects, like Shrill Carder Bees and Black Oil Beetles, make their homes amongst the grasses. 

What once was unremarkable farmland is now a thriving wetland ecosystem – proving that nature has the power to bounce back, if we work with it, not against it.  

With six walking trails weaving through the wetlands, and plenty of places to sit back and take in the views, Wallasea Island isn’t just for wildlife.  

“It’s a huge benefit to local people,” says Rachel. “We get nearly 30,000 visits a year now. People come to enjoy the big skies, the wildlife, and the walks. They have somewhere really wonderful to enjoy the sea and the marshland, which you don’t always have access to in Essex. It’s been beneficial in all sorts of ways.” 

Wallasea Island isn’t just a haven for the wildlife and people of Essex – it’s part of something far bigger.  

It sits within the East Coast Wetlands, a globally important swathe of habitat along the East Atlantic Flyway – a migration superhighway stretching from the Arctic to Africa. Every year, tens of thousands of birds rely on safe havens like Wallasea to rest and refuel.  

This global importance has helped the East Coast Wetlands, including Wallasea, earn a place on UNESCO’s tentative list for World Heritage Site status. It’s a powerful reminder that restoring nature here in the UK can have ripple effects far beyond our shores.   

Autumn and winter is a magical time to visit Wallasea Island. As the tides rise, thousands of Knots, Dunlins and other wading birds put on a spectacular show as they take to the skies in mesmerising murmurations, swirling and whirling in unison. You might hear the mournful call of a Curlew echoing across the marsh, or spot the shadowy shape of a Short-eared Owl gliding low in search of prey.  

With far-reaching views, bracing sea air and miles of walking trails, Wallasea is the perfect place to experience the wild beauty of the coast.  

Wallasea Island’s transformation simply wouldn’t have been possible without big business and industry working with the conservation sector. The project was ambitious and complex – with Defra, the Environment Agency and Natural England all involved, alongside local people and communities.  

 “It’s a brilliant example of what can be achieved at scale when we work together,” says Rachel. “We hope it will inspire other similar projects in the future.”