The Alde and Ore estuary is an important
area for those who live and work there. It has ecological and
landscape importance, and associated economic, social and amenity
value for the local community and tourists alike. It will be
critical for the development of any flood management strategy
to consider these varied interests and to try and reach a balance
between them within the constraints of national policy and legislation.
The Alde and Ore estuary is a valuable resource for nature conservation,
with the majority of the estuary designated under European and
National legislation:
Select
an option above to view the corresponding environmentally protected
areas. copyright
statement
The Alde and Ore Special Protection Area [SPA] is an internationally
important site for birds, covering the Alde and Ore and Butley
rivers, Havergate Island and Orford Ness. The SPA designation
protects a variety of bird populations and their supporting
habitats. The species include Avocet, Little Tern, Marsh Harrier,
Sandwich Tern, Lesser Black-backed Gull, and a whole host of
seabirds and wetland birds.
The Alde and Ore estuary complex is also designated under national
legislation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest [SSSI]
for its nature conservation value. This gives protection to
the patchwork of estuarine and coastal habitats that support
the wide variety of birds, important aquatic plant communities
and rare invertebrates found there.
The estuary also contains two sites designated as Special Areas
of Conservation [SAC], the Alde and Butley Estuaries SAC and
the Orford Ness - Shingle Street SAC. The SAC designation protects
the numerous habitats and species found here under EU and UK
law. In combination, these SACs contain the largest vegetated
shingle spit in Europe and one of the largest areas of brackish
marsh in Suffolk. Additionally, they are one of the richest
sites for brackish coastal lagoons in the UK. These valuable
features are set within a mosaic of other EU priority habitats
including intertidal mudflats, saltmarsh and a reedbed swamp.
Orford Ness-Havergate National Nature Reserve (NNR), lies just
south of Aldeburgh on the Suffolk coast. The shingle spit extends
southwards for more than 10 miles to Shingle Street, and is
separated from the mainland by the River Alde and Ore.
Any flood management options within or adjacent to these sites
of high conservation and landscape value have the potential
to adversely affect the features of interest, or conversely,
provide opportunities for enhancement.
