Vote to make Canvey Wick the BBC Wildlife magazine's top UK site

It is in with a chance to be name the top site in the UK in the BBC Wildlife magazine's campaign - but it needs votes to win (www.discoverwildlife.com/holidays-days-out/uk/best-wildlife-reserves-uk-east-and-jersey/)

Nature takeover

It's amazing to see how nature has taken over the site of the old oil refinery at Canvey Wick.

The sandy soil that was used to make the marshland capable of supporting building work is now the perfect place for rare bees and wasps to burrow in. The waterways that were put in place, are inhabited by Scarce Emerald Damsel flies and the concrete circles where the oil tanks stood are covered with moss, which is the foundation of all plant life.

The 93-hectare site is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) due to the abundance of rare species which thrive there.

“We tend to think of human involvement in nature as a bad thing,” said Canvey Wick community warden, Jo Loman.

“However, at Canvey Wick, it has allowed lots of rare species to live here. When the site was set to be come an oil refinery work was carried out to dredge the marshland. Now it is sandy not marsh land and that allowed small invertebrates, like bees and wasps, to be able to burrow down in the sand.”

Rare - five banded weevil wasp (Cerceris quinquefasciata). Pic: Mike Edwards (Image: Pic: Mike Edwards)

The oil refinery plans were abandoned due to a drop in the price of oil and the brownfield site was left empty.

In the early 2000s Canvey residents and Buglife rallied against plans to put an industrial site on the land and in 2005 it became a protected SSSI site. The land is owned by the Land Trust and managed by RSPB and Buglife.

Jo, who started working as warden in July last year, works to spread the word about the site and liaise with community and education groups.

Jo said: “We really want to spread the word about what an amazing place Canvey Wick is. There is no other place like it.

“There are Shrill Card er Bees, Scarce Emerald Damselflies and Brown banded Carder Bees. The five-banded Weevil Wasps, Bee Wolf wasps as well as nightingale, lizards, adders and many more incredible species. It is about managing the site so all of these species thrive.”

Stunning - Scarce Emerald Damselfly. Pic: Paul Ritchie (Image: Pic: Paul Ritchie)

Jo says that looking af ter invertebrates is vital in looking after a wider ecosystem.

“One in three mouth fuls of the food we eat is pollinated by insects. We need to care for these small creatures in order to maintain healthy eco systems and ensure we all have food to eat.” Search “Buglife Canvey Wick” for more details.

Community spirit

Former marine biologist, Jo Loman, has yet to see Canvey Wick in full bloom and she is excited for spring to arrive.

“I came here in July when it was very hot and everything was brown.

I can see the first flowers of spring already and I am looking forward to seeing it in bloom,” she said.

Jo works with a variety of community groups and gives talks in schools and regular events throughout the year.

She holds fortnightly Buglife wellbeing walks, in association with United in Kind, where people walk around Canvey Wick and have ahotdrinkanda chat atnearby Morrisons in the community room.

“My role is all about letting people know what an incredible site they have on their doorstep” said Jo.

Canvey Wick Walkers meet fortnightly to walk at Canvey Wick (Image: Buglife)

The concrete- paths from the old refinery make it accessible for prams, mobility scooters and walkers, although dog owners are asked to keep pets on leads so the natural wildlife and horses are not disturbed.

“When the weather gets warmer there will be orchid trails, with four different types of orchids, to see,” said Jo.

Canvey Wick is gaining national interest in the press and it has been included in the BBC Wildlife magazine campaign for the top 60 sites in the UK.

“We are currently number one in our region and people can still vote for the site. It would be incredible for a brownfield site to win because for too long they have been seen as places that can be built on and not valued as unique natural environments.”

There are plans to work with TrustLink’s Eco Day undertaking citizen science surveys onsite.Metal in Chalkwell have announced they have funding for two resident artists working on art and well-beingconnected to Canvey Wick.

Community focused - school holiday spider themed family event (Image: Buglife)

As we walk about the sandy terrain we cross paths with dog walker Jane Morris and her two lovely dogs Lily-Pot and Jo-Jo.

“I come here twice a week, it’s lovely and quiet and the dogs love it.I don’t have a set schedule, we just come when we can,” said Jane.

Jo’s role is part of a three-year project funded by the Ida Davis Foundation and the regular walks are funded by ROSCA Trust.

“It is a real team effort. The more we link with local groups the more interconnected we become and the scope for Canvey Wick is limitless,” said Jo.

There are volunteer opportunities for people to be involved on the Buglife website. See www.buglife.

org.uk and search “Buglife Canvey Wick” and “Canvey Wick Community” on Facebook. To vote for Canvey Wickseewww.discoverwildlife.com/ holidays-days-out/uk/best-wildlifereserves-uk-east-and-jersey/.

Regeneration of Canvey Wick

Canvey Wick is in the midst of a three year regen eration project which started last summer. The goal is to regenerate the additional 74 hectares of the site to clear any hazards from the old refinery and make it a space wildlife can thrive.

Back in 2005 the land was owned by Morrisons but it was transferred to The Land Trust in 2012 to ensure future management of the SSSI. The RSPB took on the man agement for the 19 hectares of Canvey Wick that opened as the Nature Reserve in 2014.

Regeneration - area cleared of buckthorn to make room for smaller species to thrive (Image: Newsquest staff)

The remaining 74 hectares were taken on by RSPB last year. The RSPB team have been busy clearing the site in stages and removing the sea Buckthorn from the area and taking back the grass to reveal the sand below.

They are gradually work ing across the entire site so that a variety of plant life and bug life can exists. Jo Loman has seen for her self how much Canvey Wick has to offer and the opportunity the regeneration pro ject has to reveal even more amazing species.

She said: “We have a lot of groups like members of the Essex Field Club, Bumble Bee Conservation Trust and But terfly Conservation Trust, coming here to record what they see. The more we study Canvey Wick the more we realise what a unique and special place it is.”