Parks and countryside

The site falls primarily within Havering with the map outline highlighting the third that lies within Thurrock. It was acquired by the RSPB from the Ministry of Defence in 2000, who have since worked to make it one of their flagship sites. The carbon-neutral visitor centre was completed in 2006 and is the educational flagship for the RSPB in England. The visitor centre is a centre for environmental education drawing in thousands of children each year. As of April 2010, the site has been linked to Purfleet-on-Thames via the Veolia Mardyke Bridge.