Rayleigh and Wickford MP Mark Francois spent time on a recent Friday morning being shown the considerable progress which has been made in the development of the RSPB’s Wallasea Island Nature Reserve in his constituency.
The £50 million project, which is overseen by the RSPB, involves taking spoil from the Crossrail Tunnel in London and transporting it by barge to Wallasea Island on the River Crouch and then using this spoil to help remodel the landscape of the island, to create an ideal habitat for wading birds. The first part or “cell” of the island is now open to members of the public and further cells are due to open later this year and moving onwards into 2017.
Mark, who has followed this project closely since its inception, was shown around by the RSPB’s Wallasea Project Manager, Mr Chris Tyas, on a visit that involved walking across parts of the new island bird sanctuary in order to view the wetland habitat at close range. When the project is completed, it is expected to attract many thousands of wading birds and should therefore form something of a “twitcher’s paradise” for bird watchers, including many members of the RSPB.
Speaking about his visit to Wallasea Island, Mark said:
“As a member of the RSPB myself, I have kept closely in touch with this project from the outset and it was wonderful to have the opportunity of a guided tour to see exactly how this part of my constituency is being developed, for the benefit of wildlife and the wider environment. The Wallasea Island project is one of the largest of its kind in Europe and the RSPB have made a very considerable investment to bring it to fruition. As this project develops, I hope it will also become a magnet for tourism, to help bring visitors and trade into the district in order to complement all of the significant environmental benefits which this will create as well. This is truly a remarkable project, which I am proud to have in my constituency and I was very pleased to see it proceeding so successfully.”