Suffolk's coastal wetlands have been included in a major campaign to improve wildlife habitats in the south of England.

But the RSPB which is behind the new programme believes that Suffolk's wetlands - including Minsmere, Orfordness, Havergate and the river estuaries - are not in need of major work.

Orfordness has a rich wildlife habitat - including a colony of seals in the winter.Orfordness has a rich wildlife habitat - including a colony of seals in the winter. (Image: Paul Geater)

Over the next 18 months, work is taking place at a range of sites from the Solent to the Norfolk Broads, to enhance habitat at landscape-scale for threatened species including Lapwing, Redshank, Bittern, and Water Vole.

The programme is funded by the Species Survival Fund, a partnership between Defra and National Lottery Heritage Fund to support projects which create and restore habitats to help reverse the decline of species.

This is part of the Government’s legally binding commitment to halt the decline in species abundance in England by 2030.

‘Species Coastal and Wetlands’ will restore and create 246 hectares of grazing marsh, 7,500m2 of saline lagoons, four hectares of reedbeds, and half a hectare of vegetated islands.

Other capital works will include the creation of seasonal pools for waders, tunnels and barriers to manage water, nesting rafts for breeding terns, and the restoration of rare, vegetated shingle. 

A spokesman for the RSPB said that while the Suffolk coast was included in the plan, the amount of work here would be minimal.

He said: "There may be some small projects and advice that we give - but the Suffolk coast is already in a good situation and we don't expect major changes there."

Minsmere is one of the RSPB's best-known reserves nationally and much of the Suffolk coast from Kessingland to Landguard point at Felixstowe is already owned or managed by conservation bodies including the RSPB, the National Trust and the Suffolk Wildlife Trust in a way to attract as many species as possible.