Failing sea defences 'disaster' for nature reserve

Failing sea defences 'disaster' for nature reserve8 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJon CuthillSouth of England environment correspondentBBCFarlington Marshes near Portsmouth is one of the oldest nature reserves managed by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife TrustAn internationally-important nature reserve faces "disaster" after being flooded by seawater because of failing coastal defences, conservationists have said.The 120-hectare (300-acre) Farlington Marshes Nature Reserve near Portsmouth is designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA), Special Area for Conservation (SAC) and Ramsar site.Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust has highlighted a failing tidal valve and crumbling sea wall which are letting salt water flood grazing marshland and wash away birds' nests and reed beds.The Environment Agency (EA) said it was working to find a permanent fix but estimated it would cost about £90m to replace the entire 2-mile (3.5km) sea defence.The failed tidal flap has allowed sea water to surge onto the reserveThe site is home to bird species including bearded tit, avocet, redshank and lapwing.Jamie Marsh, director of land management for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, said: "This is a bit of a disaster", with eight hectares of reed bed already lost."We have a tidal flap that's not sealing off properly and we're seeing water flooding into the site. "The elevated sea levels have flooded out a lot of these areas and consequently flooded out a lot of the nesting areas. So nests have been lost."Birds have been forced to move to higher ground to renest and rebreed.The tidal flap first broke in the spring of 2024. A temporary repair was put in place by the EA which is responsible for the sea defences.Earlier this year, engineers installed a permanent replacement valve but that too has since failed.Marsh said it had left the situation "back to square one"."Habitats that wer...