Editing Sandwich, Kent (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Boats on the River Stour at Sandwich.jpg|thumb|Boats on the River Stour at Sandwich]]
There is [[Monk's Wall nature reserve]] and a [[bird observatory]] at [[Sandwich Bay, Kent|Sandwich Bay]], which provides a home for wild [[duck]] and other wildlife in a [[wetland]] [[habitat (ecology)|habitat]]. The [[nature reserve|reserve]] was opened by celebrity bird-watcher [[Bill Oddie]] in May 2000. Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory Trust proposed the design and a management plan, including modifications to ditches and control of water levels to create [[Ecology|ecological]] conditions that attract wetland [[species]] of plants, animals and birds. Historically the land was [[Land reclamation|reclaimed]] from the river and sea by the monks of Sandwich, and the northern boundary is still the old Monks' wall of the 13th century. In the 1953 floods the sea covered the whole area around Sandwich and after these [[field (agriculture)|field]]s were drained a new river bank was created and the land [[plough]]ed for [[Arable land|arable]] farming, with heavy use of [[fertilizer|fertiliser]].<ref>[http://www.sbbot.co.uk Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory Trust] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100318041739/http://www.sbbot.co.uk/ |date=18 March 2010 }}</ref>

There is also a {{convert|15|acre|ha|0}} [[Local Nature Reserve]] known as Gazen Salts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.breathingplaces.org/public/place_by_name/Gazen-Salts-Nature-Reserve?id=28154|title=Gazen Salts|work=Breathing Spaces|publisher=BBC|access-date=2 April 2010|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511094345/http://www.breathingplaces.org/public/place_by_name/Gazen-Salts-Nature-Reserve?id=28154|archive-date=11 May 2011}}</ref>

Sandwich lies at the southern end of [[Pegwell Bay]], which includes a large nature reserve, known for its migrating [[wader]]s and [[wildfowl]], with a complete series of seashore [[habitat (ecology)|habitat]]s including extensive [[mudflat]]s and [[salt marsh]].