North Kent Marshes
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The North Kent Marshes is one of 22 Environmentally Sensitive Areas recognised by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The north of Kent has historically been a marshland area, since before even the Roman invasion of 55 BC and that part which still survives, stretching from Whitstable to Dartford, has been subject to numerous international orders concerning scientific and natural regulations that recognise the area as the most important natural wetland in northern Europe. With a flagrant and total disregard for these established facts the incumbent administration in overall control of the British economy (The Labour government) has publicly expressed a view that this area (included in the 'Thames Gateway') should be built upon to the extent that it becomes a suburb of greater London.
Monitored by local land owners and wildlife custodians, the RSPB, over 200,000 migrant birds use the mudflats of the Thames marshes as a regular haven in there migratory journeys between the Arctic and Africa.
Perhaps made famous by Charles Dickens, these wet lands are under great pressure by developers, and in addition to the great variety of wild life found on and along the Thames, these marshes offer invaluable natural flood protection for the billions of pounds (Sterling) invested in the current London area, ever under threat of flooding.
The Medway Council's Riverside park is a good example of the real and useful development preferred in this area, with open public access to the Gillingham marshes, the Saxon shore way leads out in both directions along the River Medway estuary, which leads into the Thames estuary.
The RSPB have over recent years acquired considerable stretches of Cliffe marshes on the Hoo peninsula, and also is developing an ambitious project for the education of visitors to the value of sustaining this area unchanged and free from development.
The North Kent Marsh with its stable water level is such an important area that it has been recognised as one of only thirteen key sites for the habitat of the water vole throughout Britain. Shorne and Higham marshes, with parts of Cliffe and Cooling marsh, Allhallows and Grain marshes and the Isle of Sheppey, are of particular regard for this endangered species.