Category: Conservation Volunteers

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Urgent: The Planning and Infrastructure Bill

Please write now to your MP to give your strong support to the Lord’s amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill 94 and 130 due for imminent consideration.

The Green Infrastructure Corridor provided by the Yare Valley on the edge of South Norwich has important roles in promoting wildlife, limiting and combatting climate change, and as being a place for informal recreation for Norwich residents and beyond. Both of these amendments are importance to safeguard the well-being and continued existence of the Corridor.

The river Yare is one of the globally rare chalk streams capable of sustaining a rich and varied wildlife. Amendment 94 should help to safeguard these precious chalk streams, a responsibility we as individuals, but also as a nation, have towards the retaining this character of wildlife habitat in the world.

Amendment 130 should help to safeguard the Valley’s wildflower meadows and woodlands. Much work has been done in the Valley to improve both in recent years, thanks to the efforts of many volunteers including those with Yare Valley Meadow Makers, the Norwich Fringe Project, the Conservation Volunteers, and, joined most recently, by the UEA Biodiversity Heroes. This effort and goodwill in enhancing the Valley must not be threatened by development that does not properly recognise the value of green space for maintaining human and wildlife well-being.

Either email your MP directly of make use of the Wildlife Trusts website to forward your email.

PLEASE ACT NOW

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Conservation Volunteers Programme for November

Several opportunities to promote the ecology of the Yare Valley this month. On the 7th the volunteers will be clearing back brambles in the Bluebell Woods (at the west end of Eaton Park), on the 10th they will be attending to the hedges in Eaton Burial Ground, and on the 26th and 28th they will be planting four mini forests (Miyawaki forests) in the Cringleford area. The “forests” can be expected to be similar to the one planted in Bowthorpe Southern Park a couple of years ago. The full programme is here.

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Conservation Volunteers October Programme

The usual full programme of volunteering opportunities. Please note the booking arrangements in the programme if you wish to have a place in the Minibus.

No venues in the Valley as such, but close by there will be meadow raking at Cringleford Community Woods on the 10th and hedge trimming to improve bird habitat at Eaton Burial Ground on the 13th.

The full programme is here.

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Conservation Volunteers September Programme

Nothing planned for the Yare Valley this month. The nearest volunteering site to the Valley that is available is Earlham Cemetery. There is a range of activities on a variety of sites, and so take a look through the programme here to see what might appeal to you.

FREE bus travel for ALL days this month – tickets refunded for all volunteers for any bus journeys to and from either of our meeting points on the day.

More about the Conservation Volunteers is on their website.

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Conservation Volunteers August

Another full programme from Mark Webster that has four opportunities for improving the ecology of the Valley. On Tuesday 5th and Monday 11th the team will be removing ragwort from the areas grazed by horses in Bowthorpe Southern Park. On the Fridays of the 22nd and 29th the team will be improving conditions for wildflower growth at the Eaton Burial Ground.

The full programme is here.

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Conservation Volunteers July Programme

No tasks in the Yare Valley this month, but a chance to see some other beautiful hidden riversides while balsam pulling. At some locations, where facilities are limited, there will be the opportunity to try out a portable loo that is being trialled. The full programme is here.

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Conservation Volunteers June Programme

Mike Webster writes:

Some MUCH needed rain is falling as I write this, but we won’t let that dampen our spirits as summer ends and spring begins, or so it seems!
Many thanks to all who worked so hard on the construction projects* over the last couple of months: the waymarking trail and handrail at Queen’s Hills are things everyone can all be proud of. I am also glad so many of our volunteers were able to enjoy the jolly trips in May (and we’ve already got ideas for next year lined up!)
Special thanks to all our Easton students this month, it’s been great having them all with us. I know many of you will be leaving us shortly as you courses come to an end, but I understand that some of you might stay for the summer, and some of you may be back next autumn. If you are heading off to new challenges, we all wish you the best of luck for your future careers.
So, looking forward now, it’s that invasive species time of year, as we race against time to stop bracken and Himalayan Balsam from smothering everything in sight (or should that be that everything on site) which gives us the chance to visit some beautiful areas in their prime: balsam is growing all along the lovely Wensum Valley from its upper tributaries to the centre of Norwich, and it’s up to us to stop it from invading the Broads downstream. No less than THREE new sites to explore this month where we will be both hunting balsam and cutting back along pathways so that more people can enjoy these sites (even if they are walking arm-in-arm in flip-flops). Meanwhile bracken is growing all over fascinating heathlands like East Ruston and Mousehold… so keep sending people our way please folks.

The full June Programme is here.

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Conservation Volunteers May Programme

Nothing scheduled for the Yare Valley this month, but plenty of opportunities to volunteer elsewhere with the first shots being fired in the Himalayan Balsam campaign.

Mark Webster writes:

“Well the May blossom (hawthorn flowers) is already out, and now so is your May programme! Given the already-VERY-warm-and-dry weather you may well have cast your clout* already, but there are usually spare waterproofs on the minibus just in case!

Some of you may be surprised (delighted?) by the relative absence of Himalayan Balsam pulling this month, but don’t worry, there will be more of that in June, now that the funding to control this invasive weed has been confirmed for another year: hooray!  It’s a job that keeps us off the streets – and onto some lovely stretches of riverside.  Instead this month we have waymarker posts to install ( a good task for those of your who want to leave your mark on the landscape, as the recycled plaswood posts are likely to be pretty much eternal).  We have also got a lovely long trip to lovely quiet Barmer (a good one for fans of Norfolk’s famous round tower churches), the chance to discover hidden garden heritage in Lowestoft, a free café lunch at the always interesting Blue Boar Lane, plus continuing our stately progress across the superb hidden wetland at Flordon, and a brand new site at Poringland Woods (although some of you may remember it from such courses as our woodland training day a couple of years back).

Oh, and not forgetting our ever-popular Jolly Trips for Volunteers – 5 fun days out as a reward for everyone’s hard work!  People don’t have to have been out with us every week to attend, but please don’t make these the first time that anyone comes out with us!  Booking is required for these days, either by emailing mark.webster@tcv.org.uk or texting 07740 899 691.

I do hope to some of your clients this coming month.

Mark.

*Ne’er cast your clout till may is out = don’t leave your winter clothes off until the Hawthorn (aka the May Tree) is in bloom.

Join us whenever you can, we do not require any regular commitment to attend.“

The full May Programme is here.

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Conservation Volunteers Programme April 2025

This month is unusual for having no work for the volunteers scheduled in the Valley. What is on offer is free bus travel to other places on the programme. Next month there will be some “jolly trips” for volunteers. Ideas so far include a boat trip, Blickling/Felbrigg, and Sheringham / the North Norfolk Railway, but more ideas are welcome for the usual 5 days of fun. Keith’s monthly letter and programme are here.

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Conservation Volunteers March Programme

The conservation volunteers will be again in the Valley on the Marsh at UEA this month, on Friday 21st. Other work near to the Valley will be at Bunkers Hill on Friday 7th. Bunkers Hill forms part of a green finger that reaches out from the Bowthorpe Marsh in the Valley and in to the developing Bowthorpe residential area, and so has a contribution to make to the ecological network.

Mark usual pun full newsletter and programme is here. Free bus travel to the conservation sites is on offer for Mondays of this month.