National Trust builds new island in Blackwater Estuary

National Trust is undertaking the ultimate recycling mission to create an island haven for endangered seabirds – using three old barges.

Decommissioned Thames Lighters, once used to transport building materials, coal and food from the Port of London, have been sunk in the Blackwater Estuary and are being covered and topped with sediment to create new habitat.

According to National Trust, this will sit safely above the high tides as a refuge for birds.

The work is set to help endangered seabirds including dunlin, curlew, ringed plover and lapwing; all of which are on the UK red list for conservation, and protect Northey Island against rising sea levels and the rapid loss of saltmarsh.

The barges date from the 1950s and are between 20 and 32 meters long. They’ve spent more than 30 years moored in Essex but now have a new lease of life, turning history into habitat, National Trust concluded.