Half a million people in Essex are set to benefit from increased access to the coast as Natural England opens 85 miles of the England Coast Path today (13 July).

This new section of path, spans from Tilbury to Wallasea Island, via Southend-on-Sea and takes in varied landscapes of saltmarsh and vast grasslands.  Now 50% of the Essex coastline – 150 miles in all – is accessible via the England Coast Path (ECP) which will provide more people with better opportunities to spend time outdoors and realise the health benefits of being in nature.

The newly opened trail will also provide an economic boost to the area – it’s estimated that £350 million is spent during trips to coastal paths supporting local people and businesses. It is hoped path will encourage a surge in visitor numbers which will benefit coastal communities along the route.

Highlights of the stretch include:

• Varied views from the towering ships at Tilbury to industrial landscapes, quiet marshes and glimpses of the Hoo Peninsula in Kent
• Canvey Island where nature has reclaimed industry as you walk past an oil terminal where construction was abandoned in the 1970’s oil crisis. The 7 square mile island includes diverse grassland habitats and is home to weevils (Sitona cinerascens), a ground beetle (Scybalicus oblongiusculus) and a moth (Hecatera dysodea) which were previously recorded as extinct in Britain
• Nature lovers can enjoy the RSPB Nature Reserve at Wallasea Island constructed using materials from the Crossrail project. Deliberate holes have been placed in the seawalls to let in the tides with dense flocks of birds providing an autumn and spring spectacle for visitors
• Two Tree Island Nature Reserve adjacent to the historic ruins of Hadleigh Castle which is renowned for its flocks of small waders and larger brent geese
• Southend-on-Sea which is home to the longest seaside pier in England, amusements and blue flag beaches
• The former artillery forts at Tilbury are now connected by the ECP, allowing visitors to traverse between each historic site

Lord Benyon, Minister for Rural Affairs said:

We want to connect more people with nature – as outlined in the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan – so I’m delighted to see this significant stretch of England’s Coastal Path open today.

Essex has a dynamic and historic landscape and this path will support sustainable tourism, giving an economic boost to many coastal businesses. I hope visitors will enjoy the rich contrasts of this stretch of path, from saltmarshes and mudflats to thriving seaside towns.

Marian Spain, CEO of Natural England said:

The England Coast Path will be the longest coastal walking route in the world once complete, accessible to all via public transport and walkable in all weathers and by people of all abilities. I’m thrilled that today Natural England is opening this latest section, which takes us another step closer to being able to walk all the way around England.

This stretch passes through areas rich in seaside heritage: industrial heartlands, coastal communities and nature reserves where precious wildlife, from flocks of wild geese to rare insects, thrive.

Running from Tilbury to Wallasea Island via Southend-on-Sea it will directly connect half a million people to the coast allowing many more people to experience the benefits of connecting with nature.

Natural England has worked closely with Essex County Council, Southend-on-Sea City Council and Thurrock Borough Council to create a route which is accessible for all.

Councillor Lee Scott, Essex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Maintenance and Sustainable Transport said:

This is fantastic news for Essex, and we are thrilled to see the launch of the two adjoining stretches of the England Coastal Path.

The new paths will offer an array of opportunities and benefits for the county. People will be able to enjoy walks along the stunning seaside and beaches in Essex which also have a vital role in helping to support the health and wellbeing of residents.

The new stretches of coast will also help to boost local tourism and connect people and communities with the natural environment and wildlife across the county. This is an exciting milestone for Essex, and we would encourage people to visit the new stretches of coastal path and discover the local environment.

Cllr Carole Mulroney, deputy leader and cabinet member for environment, culture and tourism at Southend-On-Sea City Council said:

It’s wonderful to see the opening of the two costal paths connecting us directly to Tilbury and Wallasea Island. This is a huge benefit for Southend-on-Sea, one that will connect lots of visitors to the beauty of our coastline and to enjoy what the area has to offer, both now and for many years to come.

Cllr Ben Maney, Thurrock Council Cabinet member for Highways and Transport, said:

This path creates an opportunity for people to get out and enjoy the outdoors as they walk along our coast and take in the natural and historical wonders it holds.

In Thurrock alone the paths take in nature including country parks and nature reserves, history including Tilbury and Coalhouse Fort, and a glimpse of our future with the ever-developing Freeport across Port of Tilbury and London Gateway as well as two new beaches planned, all of which are the latest chapter in the borough’s long history as we move to be the new City of London and the capital of U.K. ports. The path is a remarkable achievement and I am proud that Thurrock Council has been a key partner in creating this stretch of it.

The area is rich in history, Queen Elizabeth I gave a rousing speech to the troops at the approach of the Spanish Armada in the Tilbury area, it’s also home to the remains of HMS Beagle which carried naturalist Charles Darwin around the world and Coalhouse Fort, used by Henry VIII to defend the Thames and London.

The opening of these stretches has created 28,000 football pitches worth of access to land between the line of trail and the mean low water. The trail secures these areas as a right in law for the first time, increasing the amount of access to the waterfront in the countryside and seaside towns in the area.

When completed the ECP will be the longest, continuous coastal walking route in the world. At over 2,700 miles long, this National Trail will offer the opportunity to traverse through the country’s most recognised and dynamic landscapes.

It will ensure greater access to England’s cherished coastlines, connect more people with nature and also provide a boost for coastal communities from sustainable tourism.

The opening of this section follows the opening of the Grain to Woolwich stretch in January 2022.

Background:

• The newly opened stretches are easily accessed via public transport. There is also the option of using the Tilbury ferry from areas south of the river Thames to connect with London and Kent.
• Progress on the ECP can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/england-coast-path-overview-of-progress
• For more information on open stretches of the England Coast Path and other National Trails, visit: www.nationaltrail.co.uk
• The Countryside Code is the official guide on how to enjoy nature and treat both it, and the people who live and work there, with respect.

Some of the biggest organisations and businesses in the country are set to gather today (13th July) for the first time to map out how they can work together to reverse nature’s decline at a vital summit organised by Natural England.

The Nature Recovery Network (NRN) Delivery Partnership, led by Natural England, brings together representatives from over 600 organisations to drive forward the restoration of our protected sites and landscapes and help provide at least 500,000 hectares of additional new wildlife-rich habitat across England. The Network will link together our very best nature rich places, restore landscapes in towns and the countryside and create new habitats for everybody to enjoy.

The partnership represent a diverse range of interest including government, conservationists, businesses, farmers and landowners with members including KPMG, Church of England, NFU, and the Council for Sustainable Business. They will meet discuss how to co-ordinate efforts and pool knowledge and resources to deliver the national Nature Recovery Network.

The Nature Recovery Network aims to:

• Restore 75% of protected sites to favourable condition so nature can thrive.
• Create or restore at least 500,000 additional hectares of wildlife-rich habitat outside of protected sites.
• Recover our threatened and iconic animal and plant species by providing more habitat and wildlife corridors to help species move in response to climate change.
• Support the establishing 180,000 ha of new native woodlands.
• Deliver a range of wider benefits, including carbon capture, flood management, clean water, pollination and recreation.
• Bring nature much closer to people, where they live, work, and play, boosting health and wellbeing.

Since launching in 2020, the Nature Recovery Network Delivery Partnership has worked together to deliver hundreds of projects for nature including:

• The launch of 5 landscape-scale Nature Recovery Projects totalling 99,200 hectares, which will trail the use of biodiversity net gain credits and finance to delivery landscape scale nature recovery

• The 21,000 ha G7 legacy nature recovery project in Cornwall

• Promoting innovation through the delivery of ‘seedcorn projects’ that kick started 220 nature recovery projects across England in 2020/21, with a further 100 planned in 2022

• Supporting the development of 27 projects that will generate repayable investment from a range of ecosystem services and provide valuable learning opportunities as we seek to channel more private investment into nature through the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund.

• Delivering a vast new ‘super nature reserve’, spanning 6,140 ha of Somerset and encompassing some of the country’s most precious habitats

• Supporting the delivery of 160 Green Recovery Challenge Fund Projects

Natural England Chair Tony Juniper said:

When it comes to the state of Nature, we have reached a critical juncture. No longer is it sufficient to protect the remnants that we have left, but must now step up to the huge task of securing Nature’s recovery. This summit is a vital part of the plan to do that.

Nature restoration can no longer be the preserve of environmental charities, passionate specialists or a government body like Natural England. It must be a shared endeavour across society, and that is why we have brought together the Nature Recovery Network Delivery Partnership.

It is most heartening to see that the need to take decisive large-scale action is now more widely recognised, underlined by the hundreds of organisations coming together today to drive forward England’s Nature Recovery Network. Through working together we can transform the state of Nature from decline to recovery.

Timothy Crawshaw President Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and Chair of Tees Valley Nature Partnership said:

We are proud to be the host area for this national conference. Nature is needed everywhere for everyone no less so than in Tees Valley.

The Local Nature Partnership for Tees Valley has over 40 member organisations from the big names in nature like the National Trust, RSPB and the Wildlife Trust to our local groups with an estimated 6000 members involved in nature.

We are all thrilled to have this national support and recognition that will see the start of an exciting new phase planning and delivering our Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

The conference will explore collaborative action needed to help drive delivery of the Nature Recovery Network, and will see England moving beyond the conservation of protected sites to active restoration of the natural world.

The conference will engage land managers, land owners, business and communities alike to put lost features like hedgerows and trees back into our landscapes. These restored habitats will help address climate change through capturing carbon, while improving the quality of our air, water, and soil, and provide natural flood protection. They will also provide us all with places to enjoy and connect with nature and helping to improve our health and wellbeing.

Excellencies, colleagues, friends.

The Sustainable Development Goals remain the most important to-do list in the history of humankind.

Yet President Putin’s illegal and senseless invasion of Ukraine has pushed the SDGs further from our reach. He has caused a humanitarian catastrophe and sent global food and energy prices rocketing, impeding the global recovery from COVID and pushing the most vulnerable to the cliff edge.

Despite these setbacks, the UK Government remains committed to meeting the SDGs by 2030, as we have set out in our new International Development Strategy.

We will continue to prioritise humanitarian need, committing $3.7 billion in humanitarian assistance over the next 3 years.

This will allow us to help the people in greatest need and most at risk, as we have this year with our commitment of $352 million to support over 4.4 million Afghans.

With our partners we will anticipate and prevent future shocks, tackling the underlying drivers of crises, instability and extreme food insecurity.

Our investments in research, innovation and access to vaccines will reduce threats to global health, and drive breakthroughs in health systems and health security.

To broaden economic growth, enhance peace and security, and advance equality, we are putting women and girls at the heart of our foreign and development policy.

We are leading global efforts to give all girls access to 12 years of quality education. The Transforming Education Summit must help make this a reality.

We are empowering women and girls by unlocking their social, economic, and political potential, and by standing up for their bodily autonomy.

And we are championing action to end all forms of gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence.

Climate change and nature loss remain urgent, existential threats. Our security and prosperity rely on a transition to Net Zero.

Our planet needs us to deliver on the commitments made at COP26. The window to keep 1.5 degrees alive is closing fast.

Everyone must step up to implement the Glasgow Climate Pact ahead of COP27. This means revisiting and strengthening NDCs; Long Term Strategies aligned to Net Zero; and developed countries doubling their adaptation finance by 2025.

We need an ambitious and transformative global biodiversity framework at CBD this December, including the global 30 by 30 goal, stronger accountability and the finance needed for implementation.

The UK Government will also deliver over $9.5 billion of development investment a year by 2025, through British International Investment – our new development finance institution.

This will support countries to build green, secure and open thriving economies as part of our British Investment Partnerships offer.

Collaboration between government and the private sector will unlock enormous advances in our efforts to finance the SDGs.

We cannot afford to lose focus from Agenda 2030 and the SDGs.

So let’s work together, and all play our part in ensuring no one is left behind.