Projects 2024-25

Projects within Norfolk Coast National Landscape that received funding from Defra’s Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme.

Community orchard, Thornham

Creation of a 250-tree organic, accessible orchard at Jubilee Meadow with apple varieties for eating and cooking planted informally to replicate a traditional older orchard, a habitat which also supports birds, small mammals and wildflowers.

£4,126

Accessible boardwalk, Holkham Beach

A new, wider 260m boardwalk to improve access to Holkham Beach on the Peddars Way & Norfolk Coast Path National Trail, while also minimising habitat disturbance in the dunes and pine woods from the 1m people who visit each year.

£52,666

Biodiversity data collection, Warham

Collection of Northgate Hall Farm’s own biodiversity baseline data via remote sensing and a smartphone app, later analysed by AI and ecologists. This approach is cheaper than in-field ecological assessments.

£9,000

Pond for turtle doves, Manor Farm, Salthouse

Creation of a new pond on a grazing meadow close to Salthouse Heath to support turtle dove populations. A loss of habitats and seeds for feeding means that this, the only migratory dove to the UK, has suffered a huge decline.

£4,574

Beekeeping equipment, Thornage Hall

Three hives and equipment to enable beekeeping to be introduced at Thornage Hall. It enhances learning opportunities and activities for people with learning disabilities who live and work there, and improve biodiversity.

£3,977

Drones for managing and mitigating wildfires

New camera drones making it quicker for the Fire Service to see how a fire is spreading, spot trigger points of fire development and identify where they can intervene to minimise damage to farmland, properties and biodiversity.

£1,457

Deer management, Brancaster Estate

New equipment to help monitor and manage deer numbers across 700ha of landscape to reduce damage to farmland, woodland, hedgerow and habitats for nightingales and turtle doves, and to improve biodiversity.

£9,333

New wildflower meadow, Warham

Establishing a 30ha meadow with hand-picked local wildflower seed mix to increase flora and biodiversity at Northgate Hall Farm. Importantly, it is located next to a protected saltmarsh habitat that is home to many rare and protected species.

£21,700

Sustainability project, Sedgeford

Solar panels and compost toilets to make the Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Project more sustainable and less reliant on hiring diesel generators and chemical toilets for its residential summer camps.

£60,450

Restoration of sand dunes, Old Hunstanton

Work continuing from last year’s success in controlling sea buckthorn along the dunes, which has already shown how a diverse ground flora can recolonise dune slacks. It also reduces fire risk, erosion, and improves visitor access.

£5,600

Power scythe for grassland, Felbeck Trust

A power scythe and battery-operated mower for use by Norfolk wildlife charity volunteers on grassland areas and paths. Warmer, wetter weather has led to faster growth, making grassland management with scythes alone unmanageable.

4,310

Amphibious reed cutter, Cley Nature Reserve

A new specialist amphibious cutting machine for management of reed, fen and dyke vegetation at Cley nature reserve. Wet winters can limit access, and without management, habitats can be lost to natural succession.

£72,855

Pond restoration, near Burnham Market

The restoration of two ponds as part of work to establish a network of water for wildlife on Muckleton Farm, which has little or no surface water storage, in order to ensure long term resilience to climate change for wildlife.

£7,349

Barn roof repairs, Burnham Norton

Repairs to a roof of a historic barn of saffron producer Norfolk Saffron, using some existing pantiles and ridge tiles, to preserve one of the last traditional barns in the area still in agricultural use, and installing sparrow nest boxes.

£8,110

Interpretative walk, Forest Park, Northrepps 2

A 3.9km accessible walk with information boards and benches developed by holiday park Forest Park, starting in Overstrand and passing some of the area’s most historic landmarks, while highlighting the natural landscape.

£75,000

Interpretative walk, Forest Park, Northrepps