North Norfolk: Wilder, wetter, better for nature

Project summary

This project will create 5,000 hectares of entirely new wildlife habitat from current arable land. It will also fill in the habitat gaps north of the A149, and create and enhance terrestrial corridors along five chalk rivers. Additional wildlife-rich habitat will link to already protected sites, providing more diverse and better-connected habitats.

Background

The saltmarsh and brackish habitats of North Norfolk support priority species. The area has national/international conservation importance for a variety of coastal habitats.

The Wash and North Norfolk Coast Marine Protected Area Network contains:

• 3 Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
• 3 Special Area of Conservation (SAC)

The Norfolk Coast National Landscape contains:

• 6 National Nature Reserves (NNR)
• 28 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)
• 1 Local Nature Reserve (LNR)
• 85 County Wildlife Sites (CWS)

Scattered non-designated habitat patches in combination with these designated sites form island sanctuaries for nature within the wider agricultural landscape. The North Norfolk Coast also hosts the Rivers Burn, Stiffkey, Glaven and Hun, which are internationally rare chalk streams.

Aims

• 530k of environmental and access improvements, including 20km river and 24 hectares of wetland improvements
• 6 jobs (4FTE) and 4 Kickstart placements
• £200k direct to environmental charities
• A comprehensive community programme and £30k of volunteer involvement.

Objectives

To create a wide range of differing habitat types and conditions which favour a diverse array of protected species, via species recovery and river corridor restoration:

• New grazing marsh and freshwater habitats in the coastal plain
• New, drier semi-natural areas: grass-scrub mosaics across the area
• Restore naturally functioning, river-floodplain corridors and associated freshwater wetland mosaics for the four chalk rivers as well as 70ha of former sand dune

Potential longer term benefits:

• The coastal plain to function as a fully dynamic environment as sea levels rise and saline/brackish habitats roll landwards and up the river valleys
• Creation of inland freshwater habitat to compensate for coastal freshwater habitat reclaimed by the sea
• Improve species migration and colonisation opportunities, enhance biodiversity, improve water quality, increase climate change resilience and connect visitors and local communities to the natural world around them.