The Dengie is a low-lying peninsula in Essex’s Maldon District. It is bordered by the North Sea to the East and the tidal inlets of the River Blackwater to the North and the River Crouch to the South. 

It's land sits within two National Character Areas, the Greater Thames Estuary (area 81) and the Northern Thames Basin (area 111). 

It's surrounding waters are entirely within the Blackwater, Crouch, Roach and Colne Estuaries Marine Conservation Zone, which was designated in 2013 to protect critical marine habitats and species in one of the largest estuarine systems on the east coast of England. 

Much of the land close to the coast has been claimed from the sea over the generations, by the inclosure and drainage of saltmarshes, and is walled in against the tides. The Dengie experienced extensive flooding in the great tides of 1897 and 1953. 

Outside the sea walls, some saltmarsh remains and provides a vital carbon store, an important inter-tidal habitat, and helps to reduce the effect of storm surges. 85% of the UK's saltmarshes have been lost since the mid-1800s. The extent and quality of Essex Saltmarshes has declined due to development, rising sea levels and the recent increase in the frequency of storms. The Dengie saltmarshes have seen a sizeable reduction in the last 50 years.

The peninsula’s current land use is primarily arable agriculture. Records show that, in the past, sheep were farmed extensively and that there were also large areas of orchards, soft fruit production and market gardens. 

There is little woodland and the area’s hedges were hit hard by Dutch elm disease in the 1970s. 

There are few freshwater courses and the peninsula is dependent on imported water resources.

The Dengie lies between the two driest weather stations in the UK, St Osyth’s to its north and Shoeburyness to its south. It also has high levels of sunshine which, alongside a warming climate, contribute to increased evaporation. The Environment Agency considers the area to be ‘seriously water stressed’. 

The peninsula is on the East Atlantic Flyway for migrating birds. It's ecological importance is recognised with designations including Sites of Special Scientific Interest, a National Nature Reserve, RAMSAR site and a Special Protection Area. It sits within the Essex estuaries Special Area of Conservation.

We use this term as shorthand for actions to mitigate, and adapt to, the climate and ecological emergencies. 

We understand that the twin emergencies of Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss are interrelated and reinforcing.

We are concerned about both the long-term shifts in the Earth's weather patterns and the decline or disappearance of the variety in living things. We care about these both in the places we live and across the planet but we realise that our greatest agency is in our actions.

We think globally and act locally

The North of the peninsula forms part of Essex County Council's Climate Focus Area (CFA).

The Climate Focus Area aims are:

• To achieve net zero carbon as quickly as possible in the Climate Focus Area through an intensive and bold engagement and partnership-building programme with residents, landowners, local councils and businesses.

• Increase resilience to climate change in the Climate Focus Area by reducing flooding and air pollution, improving soil health and access to natural green space and increasing biodiversity.

• To encourage all landowners to adopt of Sustainable Land Stewardship practices.