We strongly believe that collaboration and partnership working are key mechanisms for conserving, protecting and enhancing biodiversity across the Haven thorough education, advice and raising awareness.

We have strong long-standing links with a wide range of stakeholders including the Suffolk and Essex Wildlife Trusts, the RSPB, the Landguard Trust and the National Biodiversity Network. By supporting these organisations, we recognise the important roles that they play in ensuring national biodiversity goals are met in relation to increasing species abundance, restoring habitat and reducing the risk of species extinction.

On a local level raising awareness of biodiversity both with internal and external stakeholders is something we are passionate about supporting. In 2023 we launched a citizen science project (Coastal Species of Harwich) using the iNaturalist application to encourage recording of biodiversity observations. By using iNaturalist, these observations become available to experts nationally and therefore contribute to us collaborating toward the common goal of advancing knowledge through research and monitoring. Since its launch we have engaged with numerous local community stakeholders including the public through a bioblitz, employees via lunchtime learning and community groups via dedicated workshops. iNaturalist has the added benefit of educating people of the diversity of our local wildlife and actions that can be taken to protect it.

Building upon the success of our citizen science project we recognised the benefits of engaging with young people. This led to the development of a collaborative educational initiative with our contractor, Boskalis Westminster, called Coastal Discoveries. The programme covers three key areas: environmental protection, our citizen science project and the maritime industry with a focus on careers. All seven local Harwich schools have been offered a place to receive a funded session and many other groups are also benefiting including the scouting community. By the end of 2024 it is hoped that more than 2000 young people will have taken part.

Recognising the importance of small changes to how areas are managed in order to create habitats for wildlife and improve biodiversity, we installed recycled wooden planters in our carpark which is located in old Harwich. These planters have been adopted by employee teams with the aim of creating habitats for insects including bees and butterflies as well as providing an opportunity to provide brighten up a predominantly built up area.

The Authority recognises the opportunities that beneficial use of dredged materials can have for biodiversity and wherever possible aims to work collaboratively with stakeholders to achieve maximum benefits. One particularly successful example is the Horsey Island project which involved diverting dredged material from disposal in order for it to be deposited for beneficial use. The placement area, located on the Essex coast, is a key habitat for little terns and other coastal bird species, but is susceptible to erosion. Little terns are one of the UKs rarest breeding seabirds and face many pressures including disturbance by people, nests washing away by high waters and predation by other birds and mammals.

Working collaboratively with stakeholders including the RSPB, approximately 225,000 m3 of dredged material was placed on the shore to protect saltmarsh from erosion and thus provide feeding, nesting and roosting beach habitat for birds. In 2023, positive results were recorded by the RSPB with 42 little tern chicks successfully raised, which is the highest number since 2006.