United Kingdom: The Wash National Nature Reserve
| Natura 2000 Ambassador for the Natura Network Initiative... | A representative of English Nature | |
| Simon Cooter |
| Site fact file |
| Country | England |
| Natura 2000 site location | Lincolnshire / Norfolk |
| Nearest urban settlement | King's Lynn |
| Natura 2000 site name | The Wash National Nature Reserve |
| Unofficial but locally accepted name for the sites | The Wash |
| Natura 2000 site number | UK0017075 + UK9008021 |
| Size of site (hectares) | 8573 ha |
| Site description / classification | Marine embayment / SPA, SAC, SSSI, Ramsar site |
| Key species | avocet |
| common seal | |
| marsh harrier | |
| montagues harrier | |
| dark-bellied brent goose | |
| pink-footed goose | |
| shelduck | |
| oystercatcher | |
| grey plover | |
| knot | |
| dunlin | |
| curlew | |
| redshank | |
| turnstone | |
| bar-tailed godwit | |
| sanderling | |
| pintail | |
| lapwing | |
| black-tailed godwit | |
| Key habitats | sandflats |
| mudflats | |
| saltmarsh | |
| Key management issues | Fishery impacts upon invertebrate in-fauna and therefore wintering/passage birds. Sustainable grazing of traditionally grazed saltmarshes. Sustainable wildfowling. |
| Natura Network Agreements |
| Promoting the Natura 2000 at the local level | We always mention the European importance of the site in press releases, guided visits etc. Local visitor centre "The Green Quay" stresses the importance of the European designations. |
| Involving local stakeholders in the management planning process - creating a local area partnership | Revision of management plan (2006-2010) involving stakeholders through workshop and talks to EMS committee. Advantage is that all stakeholders can input into vision and site analysis and come up with agreed common aims. |
| Site twinning and networking | Some involvement in past with Waddensea (NL) |
| Branding Natura 2000 | All our main signs carry the Natura 2000 network logo and refer to the designation. Our leaflet stresses the European importance of the site and the "Green Quay" discovery centre explains the designations in more detail. English Nature is working with the Green Quay to produce some film shows explaining the importance of the site. We are also working with the Wash Estuary Strategy Group to develop a saltmarsh beef brand. |
| Agreeing to become an NNi ambassador | Simon Cooter (English Nature) simon.cooter(a)english-nature.org.uk is an NNi Ambassador. |
| Supporting information |
| "The Wash" site leaflet (PDF, 601.5 kb) | "Wash Week 2005" event leaflet (PDF, 1.5 Mb) |
| For further info |
| Website | www.english-nature.org.uk |
| Site contact | Simon Cooter (English Nature) simon.cooter(a)english-nature.org.uk |