The Burrows have been designated as internationally important by UNESCO. It is the first site in the UK to be made a biosphere reserve, meaning that it will now rank alongside Mount Vesuvius in Italy and the Danube Delta. It is one of the largest sand dune systems in the country supporting about 500 species of flowering plants including a wide range of rare orchids.

There is a visitor’s centre explaining the ecology of the sea and surrounding area. The Burrows are a magical place to visit particularly in the spring and summer when many of the turf plants are flowering.