A BENEFICIARY project, which will recharge an island and protect it from erosion, has been launched.
The Save Mersea harbour plan will see 98,000 m3 of sand and gravel recharged to locations on Cobmarsh Island, Packing Marsh Island and Old Hall Point, in Mersea Quarters, as well as at Shinglehead Point, at Tollesbury Wick.
The work will be completed by using dredged material from the £120million project privately funded by the Harwich Haven Authority, which will deepen the Harwich Harbour and make room for mega ships.
The recharged materials will now be used to slow down erosion and ensure Mersea Harbour can remain active and usable, while protecting important wildlife sites and oyster beds.
The project, which was launched by the Mersea Harbour Protection Trust in 2014, will also protect waterfront properties from rising sea levels.
The Harwich Haven authority has pledged £1million towards the recharge cost, together with the Environment Agency, which has contributed £300,000.
Mark Dixon, voluntary technical advisor for the Mersea Trust, said: “Without the recharge, Mersea Harbour would cease to exist as we know it within a 50-year period as rising sea levels and more frequent storms from climate change begin to wash away our natural defences of salt marsh and mudflats, a process that will accelerate as time passes.
“Not only will this destroy the quiet sheltered waters that are so important for employment in the oyster and fishing fleets and the leisure and boating worlds, but so too these sheltered marine areas are vital to thousands of rare and beautiful birds that flock here for food in the winter and secure breeding grounds in the summer.
“The generosity and professional help we have had from Harwich Haven Authority, the Environment Agency and the RSPB have enabled future generations of people and wildlife a chance to manage and adapt as climate change begins to impact on this fragile coastline.”
As part of the Mersea scheme, brushwood fencing has also been installed at two locations to ensure no material can move into any navigable channels.
Neil Glendinning, chief executive of the Harwich Haven Authority, said: “The recharge at Mersea Island is one of two beneficial placement projects we are supporting and funding as part of our larger channel deepening project in Harwich.
“The second project, working with the RSPB to recharge a little tern habitat in the Walton backwaters, has already commenced.“We are delighted to be supporting the Mersea Harbour Protection Trust who have worked tirelessly to get this project off the ground to protect its harbour from further erosion.”
READ MORE: Dredged material from a multi-million harbour project to help a key bird colony
The Mersea Trust has raised over £70,000 to meet the cost of the recharge project.
Visit savemerseaharbour.org for more information.
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