Rich in history and wildlife, the island of Essex will be on screens across the UK this weekend.
Northey Island, a remote National Trust nature reserve located at the Blackwater Estuary near Maldon, will appear on BBC One’s Countryfile at 6.15pm on Sunday 5 July as part of show presenter Anita Rani’s new journey around the east coast.
This episode marks the beginning of a four-part special highlighting conservation efforts in landscapes and communities along the Eastern Shoreline.
In the inaugural program, Rani explores Northey Island’s role as a sanctuary for endangered bird species such as curlew, lapwing and dunlin.
Viewers will learn about a unique conservation project in which disused Thames barges were deliberately sunk into the estuary to protect the island’s salt marshes from erosion caused by rising sea levels.
Three decommissioned lighters that were once used to transport coal and building materials from the Port of London have been filled with sediment to create a stable habitat almost the size of a football field.
The National Trust believes this is the first scheme of its kind in the UK.
The episode also features volunteers working to protect the nests of ringed plovers, one of the UK’s most vulnerable coastal birds.
Northey Island has historical significance as well as environmental value.
The tidal causeway connecting it to the mainland is believed to have been the site of the Battle of Maldon in 991 AD, where Viking forces faced Anglo-Saxon defenders led by Ealdorman Byrhtnoth of Essex.
The site is now a registered battlefield.
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The island is also protected due to its natural importance: 90 of the 110 hectares are salt marshes.
It has Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Protection Area (SPA) status.
Access to Northey Island is only by appointment with a National Trust warden and via a tidal causeway which is submerged for two hours either side of high tide.
There is speculation that Walton-on-the-Naze may also appear in a future episode of the series.
Locals have suggested the coastal town could emerge next Sunday, although this has not been confirmed by the BBC.
Anita Rani’s East Coast Journey opens on July 5 and will also be available on BBC iPlayer.