Norfolk Wildlife Trust Annual report 2020–2021 95years Saving Norfolk’s Wildlife for the Future On 6 March 2021, Norfolk numbers. Nevertheless, so many of our Norfolk Wildlife Trust Wildlife Trust reached members have stayed with us and many have seeks a sustainable another milestone: 95 years also supported our major public appeal for land of care for Cley Marshes. at Thompson Common. More than ever, we are Living Landscape It was on this day in 1926 grateful for the support and understanding of that 12 people, led by Dr our members, donors, volunteers and friends as for wildlife and people Sydney Long, purchased the we return to a greater sense of normality with marsh, to be preserved ‘as re-opened nature reserves and visitor centres. Where the future of wildlife is a bird-breeding sanctuary for all time’. Later in the year the group created what was then Whenever lockdown restrictions have allowed, protected and enhanced through known as Norfolk Naturalists Trust, initially we have continued to manage our nature sympathetic management to manage Cley Marshes but with ambitious reserves for wildlife. We have also bought plans for the future. and restored new land, expanding our nature Where people are connected with, reserves to give wildlife greater habitat Sydney Long and his friends deliberately kept connectivity and greater protection. inspired by, value and care for their aims ‘very wide and comprehensive’, Norfolk’s wildlife and wild species understanding that the face of Norfolk and its Our education and engagement at visitor wildlife would change enormously with time. centres, through local groups and across Those visionary aims still underpin the work Norfolk, were on hold for much of the year. CONTENTS of NWT today. Since our earliest years we have Despite this, we have sought to stay close bought and maintained nature reserves. We to our members and the public in Norfolk, Nature reserves for Page 04 now manage more than 60 important sites for communicating across many media about people and wildlife wildlife and for people to explore and enjoy. nature and its conservation and its meaning in In a way that our founders would emphatically all our lives. Building a bigger better Page 10 support, we also advise landowners about Brecks for wildlife protecting wildlife and precious fragments We are happy and proud to do all this. Happy A nature recovery Page 12 of habitat on private properties, business to inherit the legacy of Sydney Long and his network for Norfolk locations and in parishes. visionary friends and proud to hand this legacy on to future generations. Let nature inspire Page 14 Understandably, we felt the impact of the pandemic on our finances and membership Alice Liddle, Chair of Trustees Inspiring people to take Page 16 action for wildlife Financial summary Page 21 Thank you Page 22 Investors in wildlife Page 24 TRUSTEES Chair: Alice Liddle Vice-Chair: Jeff Price Treasurer: Lyndsay Whiteman Greg Beeton (until 30 March 2021) Steve Cale Andrew Clarke Ben Garrod Scott Pinching Sue Roe John Sharpe Student Observer Members of Council: Sam Collin Duncan Cullingford Weeting Heath At Brandon Heath (Brecks had a record year for Heath Partnership site), woodlark with ­ pairs, 2,600 pink-footed geese Over the last year the pandemic has brought At Holme Dunes, a nightjars successfully bred most of which successfully were recorded at Cley into sharp relief how important contact At Syderstone Common, Blyth’s reed warbler fledged young Marshes in January with the natural world is for our health and naerjack toads continue to found by the NOA was wellbeing. Nature reserves all over Norfolk benefit from the At East Wretham a first for the site Nature have proved vital spaces for people to visit management of the pond Heath, lapwings bred close to home. around Langmere With Covid-safe working procedures in place, managing and protecting these reserves reserves for continued. Our work was slower and more considered; rules around transport and tool use were inconvenient but never insurmountable. Purple emperor and four red-flanked buerflies seen at At Bre’s Wood Scrub clearance, fen management, sedge bluetails were Foxley Wood for the silver-washed fritillaries cutting and reed bed management took place. The emergency Covid-19 grant scheme seen in October, second year running still recorded as present people and Hides, although closed for much of the year, supported by the National Lottery Heritage unprecedented (second year running) were improved at several sites including East Fund was vital in supporting visitor experience. numbers for Norfolk Wretham Heath. We repaired and replaced The grant allowed us to create 10 two metre fences to support conservation grazing and square passing points to and from the floating we completed the final year of a water soldier Broads Wildlife Centre at Ranworth Broad removal project, leading to a much cleaner and 15 similar passing points at Cley Marshes wildlife Thompson Water. We were also able to do to and from hides. As well as enabling better key monitoring work such as breeding bird, Covid-19 secure access, these improvements butterfly and water vole surveys across many provide long-term improved access for all. of our reserves. At Cley and Salthouse Marshes, the lockdown meant we were able to cut reed alongside GREEN RECOVERY FUND the boardwalk to the main hides, which is We were delighted to have been awarded usually more difficult to do when there are £166,000 from the National Lottery lots of visitors. This cutting allows more light Heritage Fund’s ‘Green Recovery’ challenge, to these areas and promotes plant diversity supporting environmental renewal projects including woody nightshade, gypsywort, red designed to stimulate employment in the campion and fox sedge. In the summer with green economy. Building on our already social restrictions eased, volunteer numbers successful apprenticeship programme, marginally increased at Southrepps Commons we have created seven conservation jobs, allowing completion of the fen cutting. including five paid internships from the Weeting Heath University of East Anglia (UEA). At Brandon Heath (Brecks had a record year for Heath Partnership site), woodlark with ­ pairs, The new posts are a much needed nightjars successfully bred At Syderstone Common, At Holme Dunes, a most of which successfully combination of entry-level positions, naerjack toads continue to Blyth’s reed warbler fledged young found by the NOA was undergraduate and graduate internships. benefit from the At East Wretham a first for the site This is a major expansion Winterin our flocks of up to At Wissey, marsh harriers management of the pond Heath, lapwings bred capabilities, and will impartcranes skills seen and on Upton and successfully bred around Langmere provide an important stepSouth on the Walsham career Marshes In what has proven ladder for a new generation of conservation a challenging year on a global scale, professionals. Four of the new recruits are doing practical conservation work across A good year for swallowtail the support of our members, donors our nature reserves, particularly in the buerflies at Alderfen Brecks and our woods and heaths. TheyNorfolk are hawker Broad andPurple Marshes emperor learning how to manage habitats for thenumbers remain and supporters in Norfolk means we and four red-flanked buerflies seen at At Bre’s Wood special wildlife that our reserves support,healthy at bluetails were Foxley Wood for the silver-washed fritillaries continued to protect habitats, to secure and they are being trained in using reserveCatfield Fen seen in October, second year running still recorded as present machinery, surveying and helping to care unprecedented (second year running) new areas of land for conservation and for our livestock. numbers for Norfolk to save wildlife. A good year for bierns at Hickling with at least ­ heard booming ANNUAL REPORT 2020 - 2021 05 Winter flocks of up to At Wissey, marsh harriers cranes seen on Upton and successfully bred South Walsham Marshes A good year for swallowtail buerflies at Alderfen Norfolk hawker Broad and Marshes numbers remain healthy at Catfield Fen A good year for bierns at Hickling with at least ­ heard booming At Buxton Heath, the silver-studded blue population was up 10% Weeting Heath on the previous year At Brandon Heath (Brecks had a record year for Heath Partnership site), woodlark with ­ pairs, nightjars successfully bred At Syderstone Common, At Holme Dunes, a most of which successfully naerjack toads continue to Blyth’s reed warbler fledged young found by the NOA was benefit from the At East Wretham a first for the site management of the pond Heath, lapwings bred around Langmere Purple emperor and four red-flanked buerflies seen at At Bre’s Wood bluetails were Foxley Wood for the silver-washed fritillaries seen in October, second year running still recorded as present unprecedented (second year running) numbers for Norfolk At NWT we have, for almost a century, fought establish specialist woodland species of old. At against the loss of our wildlife and its habitat 124 hectares, Foxley Wood is one of Norfolk’s and striven to acquire land and restore it where richest woodlands for native plants, from the we can: protecting it for the future. This year, as rare wild service tree to the beautiful greater well as our major acquisition in the Brecks we butterfly orchid. This recent acquisition is secured two new areas of habitat. also likely to provide foraging habitat for bats and hunting grounds for birds of prey. In the The small but significant purchase ofBeetley future, sensitive intervention will allow us to Meadows and adjoining Beetley Wood add trails for visitors to enjoy and to create alongside our nature reserve at Hoe Rough space for education. means that we can protect this Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and provide major We would like to thank our fantastic team of benefits for wildlife, including five species of livestock checkers, the solitary nature of whose orchids: early marsh, common spotted, southern roles allowed them to continue supporting us marsh, green-winged and common twayblade.