Canvey Island may not be the first place to spring to mind when thinking of rare wildlife, but a brownfield site on the island has been found to be one of the best places in Britain for endangered invertebrates. That place is Canvey Wick. Described as “a little brownfield rainforest” by Natural England officer Dr Chris Gibson, the results of surveys have shown Canvey Wick to have “more biodiversity per square foot than any other site in the UK”. This nature reserve was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on 11 February 2005 – the first brownfield site to be protected specifically for its invertebrates.
This space is managed in partnership with RSPB.
