Flaming or Raining? I don’t know, but it is June soon…as the seasons (twist and) turn in unpredictable ways, our construction work (boardwalks, steps, etc) gives way to tackling invasive species such as bracken – and Himalayan Balsam. Yes, it’s here again! We get to see some beautiful hidden stretches of the lovely Wensum Valley, with iridescent banded demoiselles flitting around our heads as we wander the riverbanks hunting for this invasive weed, before it sets seed (3rd rhyme of this paragraph?)
We will also be looking after some new wildflower meadows trees including a Miyawaki Forest. …
All who value the green space of the Yare Valley are welcome to come along to the Yare Valley Society AGM and Talk:
The AGM will be held first, and take about 30 minutes. Papers for the AGM will be in the next YVS Newsletter, due out early June. The AGM will be followed by a talk by Matthew Davies, the Norwich Fringe Project Officer.
One recent initiative of the Fringe Project has been its introduction of mini forests into Bowthorpe Southern Park (see picture in poster). Many will have seen the fenced plantations created using the Miyawaki method. The method involves echoing naturally occurring forests by planting four layers of plants: trees, sub-trees, shrubs and ground cover. The layers are densely planted in previously enriched soil. This results in a mini forest that matures much more rapidly than normal and has all the advantages, including carbon capture, of existing forest trees.
It is just one of the many ways in which the Fringe Project has sought to improve the Valley for People and Wildlife.
In recent years, and particularly since Covid, there has been a marked increase in public use of our green spaces, as evidenced by the increase in wear on the paths of the Valley, and the increase in the number of new paths. YVS is getting reports of a decline in wildlife in the Valley (e.g. disappearance of water voles) and the suspicion is that the wildlife of Norwich is becoming degraded as a consequence of greater human intrusion.
The good news is that some relief is on its way. The green space of Norwich is being extended with the addition of marshes that will be managed for a balance between wildlife and people. After much preparation, the Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT), is opening its new 36 hectare (90 acre) Norwich nature reserve, Sweet Briar Marshes.
An added attraction is that NWT have partnered with Norfolk and Norwich Festival, to create “On Our Doorsteps”, part of a nationwide project exploring the relationship between urban communities and the green spaces around us. You can view the newly commissioned temporary artworks from Friday 10 May-Sunday 9 June.
Following the success of previous Eco Fairs, St Andrew’s Eaton hosts again an Eco Fair:
The day will begin with an early morning birdwatching walk with Phil Atkinson along the River Yare – meet in Waitrose Car Park at 7am. The fair itself will be opened at 10 am by Rachel Sowerby, the Bishop of Norwich’s Environmental Research Officer and will be open until 2.00 pm. The day will end with an evening talk hosted by the Eaton Village Residents’ Association. Helen Baczkowska, Senior Manager Nature Recovery at Norfolk Wildlife Trust, will be speaking on ‘Bringing back Norfolk’s wildlife – what is happening and how you can help?’ Doors open at 6.30pm for a 7pm start.
Part of the Yare Valley Society display at the Fair explains why Eaton is well placed to be in the vanguard of the fightback to halt, and eventually reverse, biodiversity loss:
Come along and support us and other environmentally friendly organisations at the Fair.
“May the fourth be with you soon, and the 5th and 6th, but our tasks resume on Monday 7th May. The jolly trips have been lovely but I’m sure our task days will be just as much fun, especially as the Balsam and the Bracken are growing and will need to kept under control, giving us the chance to enjoy some beautiful scenery along the River Wensum and elsewhere. There’s also a couple of chance to get involved with the creation of new wildflower meadows, plus the making of a pond-dipping platform which will give kids the chance to discover aquatic minibeasts…although we might have go first!”
Walkers in the Yare Valley have experienced inconvenience with the present extended period of flooding there has been in the valley, but this is nothing compared with the devasting effect it can have on the valley ecosystem. The wildlife of the valley has experienced repeated flooding in the past, and so can be expected to have a degree of resilience in flood conditions, but the recent flooding has continued for an unusually long time. Flooding impacts on both flora and fauna, destroying habitats, drowning wildlife, and spreading disease. It also changes the balance of species to be seen in the valley.
Tim Hill has been out and about on Marston Marsh, and reports on some of the ornithological changes:
“Much of the marsh has been under water for longer than is usual resulting in some new, or rare, wildfowl sightings and some common water birds appearing in larger numbers. In the middle of February black-headed gulls reached a peak number of about 50 along the western half of the river. In amongst them were 3 or 4 common gulls, several herring gulls and the first of the lesser black-backed gulls to arrive. The number of greylag geese gradually increased through February reaching 43 on the 28th of the month. The number has since decreased to single figures since then. This larger number also attracted a couple of Canada geese, a rare sight here. There have been up to three Egyptian geese, with a lone goose staying very close to the boardwalk most of the time. Opposite the seat by the river, at the western end, two oystercatchers have been a regular feature since 17th of February into March. In the same area teal and gadwall have also been seen. On 18th of February there was a single wigeon, on the flood, north of the rail crossing onto the south side of the river. This is the first I have seen here. On the 21st of February there were 3 tufted ducks, on the flooded area, to the south of the stile along Marston Lane. This is also a new species for my marsh list. Three gadwall appeared there a few days later. Little grebes have been heard calling, regularly throughout February, from the flooded areas north of the river and close to the lane. The number of little egrets has peaked at 5.
Bullfinches have returned to the blackthorn bushes to the west of the stile and a stonechat has reappeared to the west of the outflow by the swings. There has been a vocal water rail in the ditch alongside Marston Lane, about halfway between the entrance to the marsh from Abinger Way and the stile. Stock doves have been regularly seen on or around the owl box but may be competing with grey squirrels for its occupancy. At the beginning of March there were about 50 siskins in the trees around the bridge at the east end. Redwings have been around in small numbers, but I have not seen a fieldfare here this year.”
Spring is in the air (“boing”, said Zebedee) so it’s time to get our tree planting finished (at Sprowston, Hingham and Horsford, where ‘urricanes ‘ardly ever ‘appen) and then we move on to pastures new. Well, strictly speaking it’s meadows new as we will be planting new wildflower meadows* at two sites in central Norwich. We will also move from cutting willow at East Ruston to teasing out little gorse seedlings from the young heather. There’s also a new woodland path to make, the first steps towards an exciting new network linking miles of little open spaces into an exciting green corridor for everyone to enjoy exploring.
And before you know it, it will be Easter, after which tasks will resume again, so that you can burn off all those extra calories from crème eggs.
PS: Incredibly geeky point, but officially a pasture is grazed, whereas a meadow is cut for hay. You learn something new every day, even if you don’t want to!
The new residents currently moving in to properties of the McCarthy Stone phase 2 development on Bluebell Road could expect to have the benefit of a landscaped Green Open Space along the whole length of the southwest edge of the McCarthy Stone site. The Green Open Space would have included meadowland, a pond, and groups of planted parkland trees. Paths would have passed through the green space to link the new estate with the Strawberry Field and to the paths down to the river and the Yare Valley Walk. The plans are here.
The creation of this landscaped Green Open Space is important. UK biodiversity is in serious decline and the green space is intended to compensate, in part, for the biodiversity loss resulting from the built part of the development. It is also important to meet the needs of a growing number of residents in close proximity to the Yare Valley. Pressure of use on the existing green space threatens to be unsustainable. Any additional green open space in the Yare Valley would help ease the pressure of public use on other parts of the Valley.
A green open space?Site of footpath link to Strawberry Field
The Yare Valley Society submitted a detailed report with photographs to Norwich Planning Authority on the present situation.
The Authority acted swiftly. It contacted the developers and a timescale has emerged for when the work can be expected to be done. It reports:
“[The contractors] have been trying to complete the footpath works along the river … though this has been held up by flooding and that they are also needing to undo damage caused by the flooding. They plan to move onto the Open Space land … once the riverbank works are done though they may start sooner if those works can’t as yet be completed. They think they have 5 days work left on the riverbank and that the Open Space works will take about 2 to 3 weeks. They are hoping the Open Space works should be complete by the end of March.”
The Society will closely monitor progress, both on the landscaping, and also on other environmental benefits that were promised when the development was approved.