Our designated sites include a Special Protected Area conserving internationally important wading and wildfowl bird species such as Brent geese, avocets, and oystercatchers. Some can be seen year-round, while others are feeding and breeding visitors. The Special Area of Conservation recognises the importance of the humid dune slacks at Dawlish Warren which support rare plant species. The Ramsar site protects the wetlands, recognising them for their role in supporting birds and people. The Site of Special Scientific Interest, along with wildlife refuges, and Local Nature Reserves, recognise and protect estuary ecosystems such as mudflats, sandbanks, and saltmarshes and their invertebrates and plants. In turn, these support the bird, fish, and mammal populations, as well as people.

South East Devon Wildlife manage the conservation of the protected sites. You can often find their rangers, alongside those of the nature reserves (Dawlish Warren and Exmouth), and RSPB (Exminster & Powderham, and Bowling Green & Goosemoor) out and about telling people about the Estuary, ensuring that the wildlife refuge protection measures are being enforced, and monitoring wildlife populations.

We encourage you to visit the nature reserves and RSPB sites, get involved in conservation activities, and learn about our local wildlife. The Shores of South Devon voluntary group can help you learn more about the marine life found on our coastlines too. Check out their website for information about talks and events: Shores of South Devon | Marine life interest association. You can find out more by looking at our wildlife leaflet here: Exe_Wildlife_Web 24 or requesting a printed copy here: Contact Us

When out and about, please ensure that you adhere to all rules and guidance to avoid wildlife disturbance and damage. Take a look at our Codes of Conduct to find out how best to share the Estuary with all: Codes of conduct | Exe Estuary Management Partnership

Exeter acts as the main hub, with institutions such as the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, while Exmouth, Dawlish and Teignmouth provide smaller museums reflecting local maritime and community history. The estuary is anchored by major historic assets, including Powderham Castle and Exeter’s nationally significant heritage as a Roman and medieval cathedral city with surviving city walls. Alongside this historic fabric, a growing programme of arts and cultural activity—including festivals, exhibitions, and community events—adds a contemporary layer to the estuary’s cultural identity.

Maritime history and the estuary’s waters remain central to its character, but they are experienced today through a wide range of cultural and recreational uses. Historic quays and ports at Exeter, Topsham and Exmouth sit alongside smaller waterfront communities such as Starcross, Cockwood and Lympstone, where everyday activities—from walking, birdwatching and cycling to community events and heritage interpretation—connect people to the landscape. Water-based recreation, including sailing, kayaking and paddleboarding, forms part of this broader mix, reflecting the estuary’s living relationship with the water. These experiences are supported by key infrastructure, including Brunel’s west-side railway, the Avocet Line, and the Exe Estuary Trail—a well-used walking and cycling route attracting around 250,000 users annually—which together help link cultural, historic and contemporary uses into a cohesive and accessible estuary environment.

We encourage you to explore the heritage of the Estuary, including how it’s changed over the years. You can find out more by looking at our leaflet here: Exe_Heritage_Web 24 or requesting a printed copy here: Contact Us

Recreation

This sub-category recognises the huge importance and value in recreation taking place on and around the estuary. The winners will highlight leisure activities of the Exe. Submissions could include photos of watersports (sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding, swimming, etc.), wildlife watching, beach-going, walking, cycling, or ways people relax and have fun on, in, and around the estuary.  

We encourage you to explore the variety of activities on offer around the Estuary. Slow Ways is a great resource for walking routes between communities in the area. The Salmon Run takes place on 19th September 2026 and will see ultrarunners racing from Exmouth to the source of the Exe River, alongside relay teams completing sections of the run. You can find out more by looking at our leaflets here: Exe Activities and Exe_Explorer_Web 24 or requesting a printed copy here: Contact Us  

When out and about, please ensure that you adhere to all rules and guidance to avoid wildlife disturbance and damage. Take a look at our Codes of Conduct to find out how best to share the Estuary with all: Codes of conduct | Exe Estuary Management Partnership

Two main rivers enter the estuary, the River Exe and the smaller River Clyst, which flow either side of Exeter. The Exe Estuary is a ria, meaning that it was formed from sea-level rise after the last Ice Age. The massive change in sea-level flooded the unglaciated river valley formed by the Exe. This explains the large size of the estuary compared to the outflow of the River Exe. This low discharge is important in the formation as otherwise the estuary would have quickly become sedimented and prevented water flow.

The estuary continues to have continually shifting sediment. This challenges the Harbour Master as the channel moves regularly, posing safety risks for vessels. The sediment movement along the south coast and within the estuary is also responsible for the evolution of the Dawlish Warren, a spit which creates the western edge of the estuary’s entrance.

The Environment Agency are in the process of reviewing the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for the area in the next few years. You can read about the last review here: Dawlish Warren Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) – Exe Estuary Management Partnership 

When out and about, please ensure that you adhere to all rules and guidance to avoid wildlife disturbance and damage. Take a look at our Codes of Conduct to find out how best to share the Estuary with all: Codes of conduct | Exe Estuary Management Partnership 

Along the Exe Estuary, livelihoods are deeply shaped by the surrounding landscape and its rhythms. Tourism supports cafés, accommodation, and seasonal businesses, while farming and fishing maintain long-standing connections to land and water. Recreation on the estuary has grown into a source of income for instructors and guides, and many people work in offices, schools, healthcare, and local services within towns and villages nearby. Daily life often involves commuting along its edges, with routes following the estuary’s unique geography. At the same time, conservationists, authorities, and volunteers work to manage and protect this environment, creating livelihoods rooted in care and stewardship. Together, these activities reflect a shared dependence on—and responsibility for—the estuary, where working lives and sense of place are closely intertwined.