Built Environment

North Norfolk: Wilder, wetter, better for nature

Credit: Norfolk Rivers Trust

0ha

new habitat created

Climate change

resilience improved

0

chalk rivers enhanced

Project summary

This project will create 5,000 hectares of new wildlife habitat from arable land, filling habitat gaps to form a continuous 23,000-hectare area, and will enhance terrestrial corridors along five rare chalk rivers.

 Background

The project will establish new grazing marsh, freshwater habitats, and grass-scrub mosaics north of the A149 within Norfolk Coast National Landscape. It will restore river-floodplain corridors and freshwater wetland areas, supporting species recovery and creating diverse habitats.

Led by farmers and land managers, it will be supported by a public-private partnership.

The focus will be on creating and connecting habitats for endangered species, such as the natterjack toad, spoonbill, grayling butterfly, turtle dove, and barbastelle bat.

Enhancing terrestrial corridors along the Rivers Burn, Stiffkey, Glaven, Hun, and Weybourne Beck will improve river-floodplain connectivity and water quality.

It will also connect communities to nature and improve public access with inclusive routes and active travel.

 

Credit: Norfolk Rivers Trust
Credit: Norfolk Rivers Trust
Credit: Norfolk Rivers Trust
Credit: Norfolk Rivers Trust

In the short term, the aim is to create diverse habitats.

In the long term, it will allow the coastal plain to adapt to rising sea levels, improve species migration through better connectivity of habitats, enhance biodiversity, improve water quality and increase climate change resilience.

Overview

North Norfolk: Wilder, wetter, better for nature overview

Date

November 2021 — Present

Management Plan strand

The Natural Environment

Partners

Norfolk Rivers Trust
Norfolk Coast Partnership

Funded by

Landscape Recovery scheme