Holehaven Birds and Barges

This project was developed by the Pitsea Barge Impact Group, which is a group of organisations to provide an agreed procedure for sustainable transport of materials by barge to Pitsea.

Holehaven Creek is an SSSI because it supports nationally important numbers of Black Tailed Godwits. As occupiers, operators and owners, each member of the group has responsibilities to fulfill the plan and for the SSSI management.

Barges were used to transport material from development projects in London, and suitable material was brought to Pitsea to cap the landfill site by 2016. Each barge equated to 40 lorries, reducing road traffic in the area.

The barges were navigationally restricted to 2 hours either side of high tide, and passed around the Upper and Lower Horse as they are partially exposed. These two islands of saltmarsh with muddy fringes are used by the Black Tailed Godwit and other important birds like the Curlew to roost and feed.

Monitoring of the birds in the Creek has been carried out during the national Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) programme, but additional monitoring was required to assess any changes in the creek around the barge movements.

Monitoring approved by Natural England during the winter and at night was managed by the RSPB and Veolia for 2012–2013. The results of this monitoring informed the future of the site.

Page updated 25/2/2022