Lead organisation
Chafford Gorges Ltd.
Partner organisations
Project description
Chafford Gorges Nature Park is home to Essex’s most remarkable chalk grasslands, including two SSSIs and six Local Wildlife Sites, sheltering the county’s largest population of man orchids and a wealth of rare invertebrates. Yet encroaching woodland threatens to smother these nationally significant habitats.
This project brings people and nature together to reclaim, restore, and enhance these precious landscapes. Our team of LANTRA-trained rangers, supported by local volunteers and conservation partners, will sculpt open chalk grassland, clear invasive scrub, and restore seepage areas, creating the sunlight, shelter, and space that orchids, insects, birds, and mammals need to thrive. Annual orchid counts and wildlife monitoring will celebrate recovery and track the long-term impact of this work.
Project Location
The project is sited in Chafford Gorges Nature Park, Drake Road, Grays, Thurrock, Essex, RM16 6RW. This urban chalk landscape is a key stepping stone for wildlife, connecting fragmented habitats and contributing to the resilience of chalk grasslands in the wider region.
It contributes to Big Chalk objectives by conserving rare calcareous grassland habitats in an urban setting, improving connectivity, and safeguarding species-rich grassland for future generations.
Fit with the Big Chalk Programme
This project embodies the Big Chalk vision: uniting people and nature to restore rare chalk habitats, strengthen biodiversity, and inspire lasting stewardship. By reviving species-rich grassland in an urban setting, the project demonstrates how chalk ecosystems can flourish even in constrained spaces. It strengthens ecological networks, anchors priority species, and builds local capacity to care for these habitats for generations to come.
Wider social and environmental considerations
Chafford Gorges is more than a habitat—it’s a living classroom and a community asset. Hands-on volunteering, ranger training, and public engagement empower local residents to become active guardians of their environment. Children and families will explore and learn in vibrant, restored spaces, while volunteers help create a sustainable model for long-term nature recovery.
Through this work, Chafford Gorges will leave a dual legacy: thriving, structurally diverse chalk grasslands and a connected, inspired community equipped to protect them.
The Big Chalk programme and Nature Recovery Fund is funded through the Protected Landscapes Partnership, supported by Defra.
Home to Essex’s largest population of man orchids
Do you have a project that could strengthen the future of southern England’s iconic chalk and limestone landscapes?
The Big Chalk programme brings together a dynamic suite of partner-led projects, each unique in its focus, area, and partnerships but sharing a commitment to our collective vision.
If your project contributes to the Big Chalk mission, we invite you to register it as a Big Chalk Project. Registered projects gain access to networking, shared learning, and best practice—alongside the Big Chalk brand, boosting your profile and connecting you to a powerful, growing network of partners.
Together, these projects form a united effort to secure the future of southern England’s chalk and limestone landscapes, making a lasting impact for nature and communities.