Introduction

Martlesham Wilds

Situated on the banks of Martlesham Creek and the River Deben - and across the river from the burial site of Anglo-Saxon royalty at Sutton Hoo - this is a landscape rich in nature and brimming with history. As an internationally important estuary for waders and wildfowl - curlew, shelduck, lapwing and redshank are often seen feeding on the marsh and saltings.

Already home to a wonderful array of plants, animals and invertebrates, under the stewardship of the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, the fields will gradually ‘wild’ into an intrinsic mosaic of natural habitats, maintained by grazing. The wardens will be enhancing the natural environment by restoring existing ponds, establishing new ponds, and creating shallow wetland scrapes that will all enhance the landscape for wildlife. The emergence of this new pastoral landscape will be thrilling to watch as nature is allowed to recover and re-establish.

https://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/martleshamwilds SWT for site information, location and events.

Latest posts: Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) and maps

King Charles III path (see below) and Tide levels (surveys and research).

Background:

A planning application was submitted (summer 2024) for the creation of new scrapes, ponds, etc at the Wilds.  Also proposed paths and grazing areas.

Planning permission was granted at the end of January 2025.  Excellent!

What has happened when?

Cattle and sheep introduced to the marshland grazing summer 2024.

Internal fencing December 2024 on some of the old arable areas.

Some hedging February 2025 along the south boundary and round the car park.

Bench, with a great view of the Deben, erected facing the summer solstice sunrise, March 2025. Two other benches were placed afterwards on Stoney Hill and near the elm tree on Hall Field.

March and April 2025 were very warm, sunny and DRY.  May and June were HOT.

Fixed monitoring sites were selected in June 2025 and vegetation surveyed.

In July 2025, a start was made on creating four new ponds (see Landscape section).

In August 2025, work was started on the new scrapes and signposts for the King Charles III coast path were put up.  Insect banks were also created.

The King Charles III coast path around the Deben Estuary, including a section through Martlesham Wilds, was opened on 24th September 2025.  The route can be viewed at the National Trails website.  Zoom into the section you want to walk with the + button.  You can also download a gpx track to your mobile device, open it in a file manager and choose an app such as OS Maps or GPX Viewer.

In October 2025, the new scrapes and ponds began filling with water after rainfall, attracting wildfowl.

In November 2025 the ditches were being cleaned by digger.  Last of the old fences removed.

December - more scrapes (Church Field), spoil heaps leveled out.  Ponds getting full now.

January and February 2026 were very wet.  More fencing on the marshes put in.