Norfolk’s Two Chalk Rivers

Project summary

This project provided solutions to problems affecting two rare chalk rivers, such as sea-level rise, pollution, man-made modifications affecting natural flow, and fragmented habitats.

Background

Norfolk’s Hun and Stiffkey are two of only 210 rare chalk rivers worldwide, valued globally, and important to local communities. The grant helped the river catchments address challenges that cause unfavourable conditions for wildlife, such as:

• Climate change and sea-level rise
• Man-made modifications destroying the natural course and flow
• Pollution, phosphate and nitrate loading, damaging the ecology
• Fragmented, disconnected habitats, empty of wildlife

Connected by landscape, sharing an aquifer, they also share the potential for significant landscape-scale restoration to create, enhance and sustain rare, vibrant ecosystems.