THE BRECKS FEN EDGE AND RIVERS LANDSCAPE PARTNERSHIP LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION ACTION PLAN Landscape Conservation Action Plan | The Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers Landscape Partnership Maps in this document contain OS data © Crown copyright and database right (2019) Ordnance Survey 100023395, 2 and/or GIS data supplied by BFER partner organisations. Landscape Conservation Action Plan | The Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers Landscape Partnership ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Sincere appreciation goes to all those who contributed to the creation of this Landscape Conservation Action Plan. Particular thanks goes to the BFER Partnership Chair, Tina Cunnell, for her constant support and encouragement, and Terry Osbourne of Claritie CIC for his boundless enthusiasm and creativity. Thanks also to the team at Suffolk County Council, including Sue Roper, Tim De-Keyzer, and Phil Watson, for their time spent reviewing, commenting and contributing. My deepest gratitude also to all our Partners’ lead officers, consultants and volunteers (especially Imogen Radford, Tim Holt Wilson, James Stephens and Pat Reynolds), who contributed so much to the development of the projects. Last but not least thanks go to those members of the public who took part in the various events and consultation activities and helped shape the objectives of the BFER LP Scheme. Nick Dickson BFER Scheme Development Manager, 2019 3 Landscape Conservation Action Plan | The Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers Landscape Partnership STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE 51 CONTENTS Landscape 52 The Natural Environment 55 Executive Summary 5 Summary of Designated sites 59 Map of the Scheme Area 6 The Historic Environment 63 Significance of the BFER Heritage to local communities 67 LCAP PART 1: THE SCHEME PLAN 9 THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES 69 Biodiversity and Landscape 70 Conserving the Historic Landscape 72 INTRODUCTION 10 Heritage Crafts and Skills 78 Scheme development 12 Access opportunities 79 Aims and Priorities 13 Facilitating access to heritage 80 Digital Access and Interpretation to support THE BRECKS FEN EDGE & RIVERS engagement with heritage 81 LANDSCAPE PARTNERSHIP 14 Community engagement and participation 82 The Landscape Conservation Growing Communities 84 Action Plan (LCAP) 15 Nature and Health – opportunities to The BFER board 15 address health and well-being Participation and consultation 16 through access to heritage 85 Delivery Partners 18 Summary 86 Staffing Scheme delivery 19 Key documents 21 THE BFER VISION 87 Other key documents 23 BFER Delivery Programmes 88 Gaps and Limitations 24 CHANGES 93 THE SCHEME AREA 25 The Partnership 94 Understanding the area 26 Development studies and reports 94 Projects & programmes 94 THE BRECKS FEN EDGE & RIVERS - The National Lottery Heritage Fund Strategic ITS HERITAGE AND PEOPLE 29 Funding Framework 2019 – 2024 96 The Norfolk and Suffolk Brecks Landscape Scheme cost comparison (stage 1 / stage 2) 97 Character Assessment (LCA): Summary of landscape character 30 FINANCES 98 Water in The Brecks 35 Breakdown of Delivery Phase costs 99 Shaping the land 40 Managing the Common Fund 99 People with a stake in the landscape 43 Match funding 99 Management of the Landscape 47 Recording Non-Cash Contributions 100 Key National, Regional and Local Payments to Partners 100 Strategies and Policies 49 Reporting and Claims 100 Procurement 100 4 Landscape Conservation Action Plan | The Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers Landscape Partnership LEGACY 101 2.5 Digital Interpretation: Heritage Hotspots 140 Legacy Themes 102 2.6 Scheme Website and Info Hub 142 EVALUATION 104 PROGRAMME 3. Monitoring and Evaluation 105 WORKING WATERS: HERITAGE SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE 144 Project Management Review 105 3.1 Citizen Science: Testing the Water 146 Stakeholder Reporting 106 3.2 Fen Edge & Rivers Archaeology 148 ADOPTION AND REVIEW 107 3.3 Heritage River Crafts: Living on the Edge 150 Adoption 108 3.4 Watery Wildlife Education 152 Making this Plan Available 108 3.5 Supporting Sustainability 154 Review 108 3.6 Supporting Placements & Youth Training 156 LCAP PART 2: PROGRAMME 4. SUMMARY OF PROJECTS 109 REVEALING THE RIVERS: CONNECTING WITH COMMUNITIES 158 4.1 Water’s Colour: Community Art 160 Delivery timetable 112 4.2 Celebrating River Heritage 162 Project outcomes 113 4.3 Accessible Rivers: Improving Access 164 Project connectivity table 114 4.4 Healing Waters: Breathe in the Brecks 168 Delivery budget 115 4.5 Volunteer and Engagement programme 174 PROGRAMME 1. 4.6 3rd Party Grant fund 176 RESTORING THE WATER: SUPPORTING SPECIES AND HABITATS 116 BIBLIOGRAPHY 178 1.1 River Lark Channel Restoration 118 1.2 Sea to Chalk: Restoring Sea Trout APPENDICES and Eels 120 Appendix 1: 1.3 Little Ouse River Improvement 122 The BFER Scheme Development Board 173 1.4 Barton Mills Sluice 124 Appendix 2: Key Delivery Partners 174 1.5 Lost Ponds: Reinstating Ghost Pingos 126 Appendix 3: 1.6 Riparian Landowner Advice 128 Timeline: Land use history 177 Appendix 4: PROGRAMME 2. Summaries of Designated sites 181 UNDER THE SURFACE: Appendix 5: DISCOVERING HERITAGE 130 Reasons for Not Achieving Good Status (NAGS) 2.1 Hidden Heritage: Discovering Geology and Reasons For Deterioration (RFD) 184 and Archaeology 132 Appendix 6: 2.2 Tales from the River 134 Evaluation 186 2.3 Industrious Rivers 136 Appendix 7: 2.4 River Raiders 138 HLF Outcomes 188 5 Landscape Conservation Action Plan | The Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers Landscape Partnership EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Brecks’ Fen Edge and Rivers landscape has always been a crucial conduit for biodiversity and human settlement, economic activity and movement of goods and people in an otherwise dry landscape. The presence of water has been fundamental to how the landscape of the whole of the Brecks has been settled and developed. The Scheme area has been selected to include the key Fen Edge area, River Corridors and important freshwater areas, and the greatest concentration of heritage assets. The history of settlement and land use means that these assets, with their opportunities and stories are on the doorstep of most of the population, yet despite or perhaps because of this they often remain unacknowledged and overlooked. Conservation effort in The Brecks National Character Area has long-focused on the internationally important heaths and forests, but legacy development work from the Breaking New Ground (BNG) Landscape Partnership Scheme identified significant risks to the heritage of the nearby Fen Edge and River Valleys landscape, with knock-on effects on the wider landscape from changing land-use, pollution, increased abstraction of water for housing and industrial development and intensive agricultural practices. This, coupled with the continuing increase in informal recreation in a landscape with few rights of way, but vast areas of Open Access land, creates an urgent need for a joined-up approach to engaging communities, land managers and key decision makers so that the unique heritage of these landscapes that have been hidden in plain sight, is properly understood, valued and protected. As a result of the BNG legacy work, extensive surveys, research and consultation with local communities, heritage professionals and other stakeholders, a narrative for The Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers Landscape Partnership Scheme has evolved. This led to an agreed set of priorities, an exciting and engaging set of projects, with a sustainable legacy, in line with the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s priorities and outcomes for Landscape Partnerships Schemes. This LCAP focusses on heritage conservation in this landscape within the Brecks that research currently indicates has the most pressing set of threats and issues, through a bespoke set of projects delivered by a partnership with a wide range of expertise. It continues the momentum gained through Breaking New Ground’s work in the heart of The Brecks landscape and delivers aims and objectives for The Brecks Fen-Edge & Rivers LP Scheme that can be sustained into the future. 6 Landscape Conservation Action Plan | The Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers Landscape Partnership MAP OF THE SCHEME AREA 7 Landscape Conservation Action Plan | The Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers Landscape Partnership 8 The Scheme Plan | The Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers Landscape Partnership THE BRECKS FEN EDGE AND RIVERS LANDSCAPE PARTNERSHIP LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION ACTION PLAN PART 1: THE SCHEME PLAN 9 The Scheme Plan | The Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers Landscape Partnership THE BRECKS FEN EDGE AND RIVERS LANDSCAPE PARTNERSHIP LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION ACTION PLAN INTRODUCTION 10 The Scheme Plan | The Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers Landscape Partnership The Brecks’ Fen Edge & Rivers Landscape Recognising the importance of this watery Partnership Scheme (BFER LPS) is a new landscape in understanding and protecting The Landscape Heritage Scheme for the Norfolk and Brecks heritage was a key legacy of BNG and has Suffolk Brecks which will build upon the legacy of been reinforced by the Freshwater Habitats Trust the Breaking New Ground Landscape Partnership which rated The Brecks as one of Britain’s top Scheme (2013-17)1 to continue to develop and re- landscapes for freshwater wildlife. focus engagement, public awareness and positive Their work confirmed that the area is particularly action on the heritage of The Brecks’ fen edge, significant for its rare and biodiverse chalk river and wetland landscapes in this unique part streams, networks of ancient Pingo ponds and of East Anglia. fluctuating meres. Whilst Breaking New Ground supported communities to celebrate and conserve the heritage of shifting land use that created the iconic heathland and forest mosaic at the ‘heart’ of The In our very first analysis Brecks landscape of today, the BFER LPS will reveal of freshwater areas, how the rivers, freshwater habitats and fenland edge provide the life blood for wildlife and people The Brecks immediately in the area. popped up as one of the top 20 areas in England The network of fenland fringe, freshwater habitats and river corridors are the conduit for biodiversity and Wales. Its freshwater and have driven settlement of an otherwise hostile wildlife truly is exceptional landscape.