Kent Wildlife Trust is deeply concerned following a fire on the evening of 19 April that has destroyed a significant area of priority saltmarsh habitat at Sandwich and Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve, one of Kent’s most important and internationally designated wildlife sites.
The blaze, believed to have been started deliberately, spread across more than 300 metres of the reserve. Kent Fire and Rescue Service responded quickly to extinguish the flames, but extensive damage had already taken place.
Sandwich and Pegwell Bay is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Protection Area (SPA), and Ramsar site, recognising its international importance for wildlife. The loss of saltmarsh is particularly serious as it is an irreplaceable habitat, home to rare plants and animals.
The fire occurred during the breeding bird season and is likely to have destroyed nests, killed reptiles, and caused significant disturbance to wildlife dependent on this fragile environment.
Kent Wildlife Trust is also concerned about cumulative pressures across Sandwich and Pegwell Bay. Alongside antisocial behaviour, the site is experiencing growing recreational disturbance, including dogs chasing wading birds and water sports entering protected areas. This is placing additional stress on already vulnerable species, including seals, as the site supports Kent’s largest seal colony.
Pegwell Bay is still bearing the scars of previous infrastructure works associated with National Grid Venture’s Nemo Link project, where damage to the saltmarsh remains visible. This latest incident adds further pressure to an already fragile and recovering habitat, highlighting the cumulative impact of repeated disturbance.
These concerns are central to Kent Wildlife Trust’s Rethink Sea Link campaign, which highlights the risks posed by National Grid’s proposed Sea Link project. The £1.1 billion high-voltage subsea electricity connection between Suffolk and Kent would introduce further large-scale infrastructure to this vulnerable coastline.
The scheme includes landfall at Sandwich and Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve, with cables proposed to pass through areas of saltmarsh, where there are concerns that similar impacts to those seen during the Nemo Link works could be repeated. It also includes infrastructure at Minster Marshes, including a proposed 28-metre high converter station.
Emma Waller, Senior Planning & Policy Officer at Kent Wildlife Trust, said:
“Pegwell Bay is one of the most sensitive and important coastal sites in Kent. Its saltmarsh is an irreplaceable habitat that supports rare species and underpins the functioning of the wider ecosystem.
We are devastated by the damage caused by this fire, particularly during the breeding bird season when wildlife is at its most vulnerable. The likelihood of destroyed nests, loss of reptiles, and widespread disturbance is deeply concerning. Incidents like this also set back recovery in habitats that are already fragile and slow to regenerate.
We are already seeing the long-term effects of previous infrastructure, including visible damage from the Nemo Link project. This fire adds another layer of stress to an already heavily pressured site and reinforces our concerns about National Grid’s proposed Sea Link project, which is why we are calling on them to Rethink Sea Link. Further large-scale development risks causing permanent harm to these internationally important habitats.
What is increasingly concerning is that this is not isolated. We are seeing rising disturbance across other Kent Wildlife Trust reserves, from antisocial behaviour through to recreational pressures that are becoming harder for wildlife to withstand. We have recently had to remove our herd of Highland cattle from Hothfield Heathlands Nature Reserve following viral social media content that led to people actively approaching wildlife.
Without urgent action to address these growing pressures, we risk permanently losing the wildlife and habitats that make places like Pegwell Bay so special.”
Kent Wildlife Trust is urging the public to help protect its nature reserves by respecting site restrictions, keeping dogs under control, and reporting suspicious behaviour.
Supporters can also help the Trust respond to incidents like this by donating to its Nature Nightmares appeal, which helps tackle the impacts of antisocial and criminal behaviour on reserves and fund vital restoration work.
@Kent Wildlife Trust