Hazlewood Marshes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hazlewood Marshes
Hazlewood Marshes with the breaches in the sea wall caused by the tidal surge on 5 December 2013
Type	Nature reserve
Location	Aldeburgh, Suffolk
OS grid	TM442582
Area	64 hectares
Managed by	Suffolk Wildlife Trust

Hazlewood Marshes is a special nature reserve in Suffolk, England. It covers about 64 hectares, which is like 160 football fields! This amazing place is west of Aldeburgh, a town by the sea. The Suffolk Wildlife Trust helps manage and protect this area. It's also part of a bigger important natural area called the Alde-Ore Estuary, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. This means it's a very important place for wildlife and nature.

What Happened at Hazlewood Marshes?

From Freshwater to Saltwater

Before 2013, Hazlewood Marshes was a freshwater area. It had a lagoon and marshes filled with fresh water. Many plants and animals lived there that needed fresh water to survive.

However, on December 5, 2013, something big happened. A very strong tidal surge hit the coast. This surge was like a giant wave that broke through the sea wall. The sea wall is a barrier built to keep the sea out. When it broke, sea water flooded the entire reserve.

How the Habitat Changed

This flood changed Hazlewood Marshes completely. All the plants and tiny creatures that needed fresh water disappeared. The area slowly started to turn into a salt marsh. A salt marsh is a wetland area that is regularly flooded by salty sea water.

This change created a new home for different types of wildlife. Now, you can see many birds that love salty environments. These include black-tailed godwits, dunlins, redshanks, lapwings, and avocets. These birds are well-suited to living in salty marshlands.

Visiting Hazlewood Marshes

You can visit Hazlewood Marshes by following the Sailors' Path. This path runs between Aldeburgh and Snape. It's a great way to explore the area and see the unique wildlife that now calls Hazlewood Marshes home.