Natural England - North Kent Marshes ESA
North Kent Marshes ESA
The Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) scheme has now closed to new applicants and has been superseded by the Environmental Stewardship scheme. Some existing agreements will, however, continue until 2014.
The North Kent Marshes ESA extends over 13,715 ha and forms an almost continuous coastal marshland fringe extending from Whitstable in the east to Gravesend on the Thames estuary in the west, including the Medway estuary and the Isle of Sheppey. The marshes are typically two to five kilometres wide but they broaden on the Hoo peninsula.
Description
The marshes are a distinctive, exposed, flat landscape of pasture and arable land. Agricultural land predominates, with over half being in grassland. The arable cropping consists mainly of winter-sown cereals and oilseed rape. Most have been enclosed by sea walls (‘inned’) since medieval times to prevent flooding. Beyond the sea wall, mudflats and saltings are common. The ESA is bounded by a belt of higher ‘upland’ which forms a pronounced landscape feature defining the southern boundary. There is considerable archaeological interest in the ESA, ranging from prehistoric sites to medieval salt-working mounds and more recent armament production and defensive sites. Much of the archaeological interest is believed to be buried under the alluvium.
Significant habitats and species
The combination of habitats present is of international importance for over-wintering and breeding birds. Part of the ESA has been designated as a Special Protection Area and as a Ramsar site. Furthermore, the marshes and associated ditches contain important aquatic flora and fauna and over one third are designated as National Nature Reserves or Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
ESA management options
There were two main management options available within the North Kent Marshes ESA:
The extensive management of existing grassland and wet grassland, with restrictions on cultivation, stocking rates and fertiliser and pesticide applications. The management prescriptions also require agreement holders to maintain ditches and other landscape features, such as wing gates. Wet grassland agreement holders are also required to maintain high water levels in ditches through winter and early spring.
Increase the area of grazing marsh by reverting arable land to extensively managed grassland or protect the nature conservation interest of the ditches and water courses by establishing grass buffer strips on arable fields.
Contact
Natural England's Kent office
