The Alde-Ore Estuary - Securing a sustainable future for wildlife

The Alde-Ore estuary, on the Suffolk coast, is a wonderful place for wildlife. It is a Natura 2000 site and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. These are European and British legal designations that show the importance of the wildlife and their habitats that the estuary supports.

The National Trust's Orford Ness and RSPB Havergate Island are two exceptional nature reserves within the Alde-Ore estuary.

The National Trust and RSPB have been jointly awarded a LIFE+ Nature grant from the European Union to further improve the management of these sites for birds and habitats that are priorities for conservation across Europe.

A main aim of the project is to establish functional, efficient and sustainable systems of water management to maintain and improve the quality of the coastal lagoons and marshes in response to increasingly lower rainfall.  A network of new ditches, lagoons and water controls have been installed, and we continue to monitor species, water quality and levels to ensure these sites fantastic places for wildlife.

A little tern with a fish (sterna albifrons)

Orford Ness National Nature Reserve holds some of the finest examples of coastal vegetated shingle in the world. A key feature of the project is the protection of these shingle habitats.

The rare and fragile shingle ridge and furrow structure, vegetation and wildlife are exceptionally vulnerable and susceptible to damage and disturbance. The condition of these features has been deteriorating in recent years due to visitor pressure.

Difficult to spot little tern eggs