Crouch and Roach Estuaries

{{Short description|Nature reserve in Essex, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox SSSI

|image = Paglesham Creek, Paglesham Churchend - geograph.org.uk - 942589.jpg

|image_caption = Paglesham Creek

|name = Crouch and Roach estuaries

|aos = Essex

|interest = Biological

|gridref = {{gbmappingsmall|TQ870970}}

|area = 1729.1 hectares

|notifydate = 1990

|map = [http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271002160%27 Magic Map]

}}

The Crouch and Roach Estuaries are a 1729 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at the mouth of the Crouch and Roach rivers in Essex. The Crouch part of the SSSI stretches from near Battlesbridge to Foulness Island, and the Roach from Rochford to the junction with the Crouch.{{cite web|url= http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002160.pdf|title= Crouch and Roach estuaries citation|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher= Natural England|accessdate= 12 December 2015|url-status= dead|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20151222115804/http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002160.pdf|archivedate= 22 December 2015}}{{cite web|url= http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271002160%27|title=Map of Crouch and Roach estuaries|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate= 12 December 2015}} Part of the site is in the Mid-Essex Coast Special Protection Area under the EC Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds,{{cite web|url=http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/pdf/SPA/UK9009244.pdf|title=Crouch and Roach Estuaries (Mid-Essex |publisher=Joint Nature Conservation Committee|accessdate=10 December 2015}} and a Ramsar wetland site of international importance.{{cite web|url=http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-1389|title=Designated and Proposed Ramsar sites in the UK and Overseas Territories & Crown Dependencies|publisher=Joint Nature Conservation Committee|accessdate=19 November 2015}} It is also part of the Essex Estuaries Special Area of Conservation.{{cite web|url=http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/protectedsites/sacselection/sac.asp?EUCode=UK0013690|title=Essex Estuaries|publisher=Joint Nature Conservation Committee|accessdate= 6 December 2015}} An area of 65 hectares is managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust as the Lion Creek and Lower Raypits nature reserve{{cite web|url=http://www.essexwt.org.uk/reserves/lion-creek-and-lower-raypits|title=Lion Creek and Lower Raypits Nature Reserve|publisher= Essex Wildlife Trust|accessdate=10 December 2015}} and 8 hectares at Woodham Fen, both of which are managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust.{{cite web|url=http://www.essexwt.org.uk/reserves/woodham-fen|title=Woodham Fen Nature Reserve|publisher= Essex Wildlife Trust|accessdate=12 December 2015}} A small area is also a geological SSSI, The Cliff, Burnham-on-Crouch.{{cite web|url=http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1003868.pdf|title=The Cliff, Burnham-on-Crouch citation|series=Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate=12 June 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223543/http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1003868.pdf|archivedate=3 March 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271003868%27 |title=Map of The Cliff, Burnham-on-Crouch|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|accessdate=12 June 2016}}

The site has salt marsh, intertidal mud, grazing marsh and a fresh water reservoir. The salt marsh has scarce species including lax-flowered sea-lavender and one-flowered glasswort. Rough grass has dense populations of the nationally scarce Roesel's bush-cricket. The site is internationally important for wintering dark-bellied brent geese, and nationally important for black-tailed godwits, shelducks and shoveller ducks. There are Red Data Book species of invertebrates such as the ground lackey moth.

{{Commons category|Crouch and Roach Estuaries}}