Mark Webster of Conservation Volunteers has, as usual. a varied plan for conservation volunteering opportunities across the County. None is specific to the Yare Valley this month, but all contribute to improving our green environment. New volunteers are always welcome. Full details are available here.
Conservation Volunteers August Programme
The Conservation Volunteers will be out in force in August doing work in various locations, including Bowthorpe Southern Park on two occasions. Their task here will be to remove ragwort from a specific area to make it safe for cattle grazing. Grazing creates vegetation at different heights, and small areas of bare ground. This encourages a wide range of wildlife in different habitats. It also helps wildflowers to grow, flower, and set seed each year.
Everyone is welcome. Details of the Programme are here.
Yellow Rattle Seed Collection 10th July
Yare Valley Meadow Makers would welcome your help to harvest Yellow Rattle Seed. Now the summer has finally come, the yellow rattle seed is ripening and they need lots for Strawberry field and UEA meadows in the Autumn.
The harvest will be on Wednesday 10th July 6-8pm, with a pint in the Cellar House after for those who would like to.
Meeting location – Marston Marsh, at the entrance opposite the big golf club gates, what3words: brush.handy.admit.
Yellow rattle growing in Strawberry Field, possibly from seed sown in earlier years:
Conservation Volunteers July Programme
Their programme in July includes conservation work in the Yare Valley Bluebell Wood at the Junction of Bluebell Road and North Park Avenue, Eaton Park, Norwich. They will be cutting back bramble to allow bluebells to thrive. In July there are also two free courses:
Mark Webster writes:
“… we have two free courses people can attend if they wish:
- Saturday 20th we have local expert Adrian showing us how to find insects and identify them. All welcome, suitable for all ages, beginners as well as those who already know their bugs and beetles. A great opportunity to see some minibeasts up close, and hopefully find some real rarities. Whether or not you usually come out at the weekend, I hope you can join us for this – bring family and friends!
- Tuesday 30th we will be running a task leader’s course, giving you all you need to know in order to run a safe and happy conservation task day. Great for the CV, especially for those looking for a job working with wildlife.”
Details of the programme, and how to contact Mark if you are interested in attending a course, are here.
Norwich Western Link: A threat to our neighbouring green corridor?
The Yare River Valley and the Wensum River Valley are the two strategic green infrastructure corridors of Norwich. Proposed developments continue to threaten their effectiveness in providing habitat and free movement for wildlife. One threat is the building of roads across the valleys. An additional road across the Yare Valley has been mooted, but there is no definite plan as yet. A new road across the Wensum is now under consideration to carry the Norwich Western Link. A planning application (FUL/2024/0022) for the Link has been submitted, and it is out for public consultation until 18th August 2024 (recently extended to this date).
Norfolk Wildlife Trust, CPRE, Friends of the Earth and Buglife are have joined with other environmental organisations to condemn the proposals because of the ecological destruction that can be expected to occur. Natural England has sought assurance from the developers Norfolk County Council that a nationally important habitat for a protected species of bat will not be damaged. Whether Norfolk County Council can give such an assurance seems in doubt, but the Council have, none the less, gone ahead with a planning application for the road.
Grounds for objection are detailed by the “Stop the Wensum Link” campaign.
Concern has also been expressed that the route is designed only for motorised vehicle use (or fearless cyclists) with little or no provision for more sustainable means of travel such as walking and cycling. There is no effective shadow route for non-motorised users.
The issues are complex, but if you wish to speak up for our green wildlife corridors and/or sustainable travel, go to the plans and consultation website.
Disappearing Nature: March to “Restore Nature Now”
Numerous environmental organisations, including Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, Woodland Trust, National Trust, Extinction Rebellion and Rewilding Britain have come together intent upon moving Nature up the political agenda at election time. They want to see UK politicians “show strong domestic and global nature and climate leadership by:
1. Giving a pay-rise for nature
2. Making polluters pay
3. Delivering more space for nature
4. Putting a right to a healthy environment in law
5. Ensuring fair and effective climate action”
Read more about their specific demands here. You can give your support to their campaign by joining the march:
Restore Nature Now
Saturday June 22
12:00 noon – Park lane, London W1K
More details here.
If you cannot make it to London, be sure to raise Nature with those who come canvassing for your vote.
Conservation Volunteers June Programme
Mark Webster writes:
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. …
The full programme is here.
Talk and AGM: Managing the Yare Valley for People and Wildlife
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.
Ecology of the River Yare is “moderate”
The latest report of the Rivers Trust classifies the ecology of the Yare as “moderate”. This is on a scale of High, Good, Moderate, Poor or Bad. A map shows the Yare to share this category with most of England’s rivers. Only 15% of rivers are rated as being in “good” ecological health.
Ecological health is assessed by looking at the state of what is living in the river environment. “The presence, absence and abundance of species is a good indication of the general health of a river.”
There is no river in England rated as “good” for chemical health or for overall health.
The detailed State of Our Rivers Report for 2024 is an in-depth study of the condition of our rivers and suggestions solutions and actions for improving the health of our rivers.
YVS has already reported on the Norfolk Rivers Trust’s work at various points on the river in the valley to improve water quality by modifying river flow and to improve resilience of wetlands to drought by interconnected scrapes.
Nature boost for Norwich: Sweet Briar Marshes Opening
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.
The marshes will become open free to the public, and the NWT invites you to free opening activities on Sunday 12th May. You are invited also to lunchtime and evening drop-in walks each day from Monday 13th to Friday 17th May.
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.