Annual Report 2 017-18 2 2 INTRODUCTION Welcome to the Broads – there’s a lot find out how you can get involved. We to tell you about from the past year. hope you’ll keep in touch with us over the year to see how projects progress Something that this annual snapshot – whether that’s by social media, highlights is the fact that so much of traditional local media, our websites our work in the Broads National Park and publications, working with our team Mr Haydn Thirtle involves partnership in one form or Chairman of volunteers or attending our many another, whether it’s working with our public events. If you think the Broads local community and organisations as There’s a lot to learn at the Norfolk Show is as special as we do, why not enter we are with Water, Mills & Marshes, development matters. It sets out the the Broads National Park Photography or working with country-wide policies that will shape the appearance Competition? You’ll find full details at organisations like the national parks or of the Broads for many years to come international partners as we are on the www.broads-authority.gov.uk/news/ and final preparation of a new Broads Dr John Packman CANAPE project. photography-competition Local Plan was completed during the Chief Executive We are also always very conscious period of this report. We hope you’ll find something of the huge support we receive of interest to you in this report, We have already mentioned the Water, from individuals, including students, whether it’s a rare bat, new boat Mills & Marshes, and CANAPE projects, apprentices, volunteers, farmers, moorings, somewhere special to visit undoubtedly two projects that are each tourism operators and many others. or a new group to join. taking us into a different area, whether The Broads Plan, which guides all back to the past with the former, to our work, is a partnership plan for rediscover ways of life almost lost, the Broads and we hope that our or into the future with the latter, to This report has been designed to annual report shows just some of our discover new products from old. What be read as a pdf on screen. If you partnerships in action. both projects demonstrate however is require one of the limited number the value of the Broads itself and that’s Yare House, 62-64 Thorpe Road, of printed copies please contact us. While the Broads Plan is all- Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1RY what makes them so interesting and encompassing, the Broads Authority 01603 610734 It can be viewed or downloaded at: rewarding in their different ways. [email protected] www.broads-authority.gov.uk/about-us/ must also fulfil its legal obligation as a www.broads-authority.gov.uk local planning authority and produce We look forward to hearing from you how-we-work a local plan for making decisions if you would like more details about Front cover illustration: on planning applications and other any of our projects, or would like to Dave Thompson 3 � CONTENTS Promoting the Broads ..........................................................4 � Conserving the Broads .......................................................11 � Broads Authority membership .................. 16 � Showcasing the Broads National Park � Protecting our waterways and wildlife Broads Authority staff .............................. 17 � Valuable volunteers ..............................................................7 � Practical works ...................................................................12 � Revenue accounts .................................... 19 � For the love of the Broads Improving the infrastructure on land and water Broads information centres...........back cover � Mr Haydn Thirtle Chairman Working with the community ...............................................8 � Planning for the future ......................................................15 � Supporting Broads-related projects � Maintaining the special character of the Broads � A new vision for Hickling Broad Dr John Packman Chief Executive 4 � Promoting the Broads 4 The Broads lands at Discover England Norwich Airport Discover England and discover the English � Following adoption of the name Broads national parks. That’s the message of a � National Park for marketing purposes, new campaign by VisitBritain to attract � the Broads Authority has developed links more overseas visitors. � with Norwich Airport and Greater Anglia John Packman, Chief Executive of the Broads The parks are working together to create � in order to provide displays about the Authority, with Richard Pace, Managing Director of Norwich Airport an offer specifically targeted at German � Broads at key visitor locations. and Australian visitors, whose visitor � In February 2018 the first display was Broads features, a map and copies of the profiles in terms of expectations and � unveiled, providing a backdrop to Broadcaster visitor magazine. activities fit well with all that the parks � the whole airport arrivals area, where have available for visitors. � visitors are now greeted by a specially A similar display has more recently been commissioned Broads artwork inspired installed at Great Yarmouth Railway The campaign is creating memorable � by the travel posters of the 1950s, Station and plans are underway for one experiences that can be booked by � together with photos of distinctive at Norwich Railway Station. overseas visitors as part of planning their � trip, with businesses offering linked visits, � activities and accommodation. � The emphasis is on the landscapes, � wildlife, history and culture of the parks, � with the aim of truly immersing visitors � in everything that makes the � parks so distinctive. � Above and left: A landscape to In the Broads, plans for discover and experience the English National Park Experience Collection Businesses have been focus on wildlife, canoeing, invited to participate by boating, learning to sail, offering experiences and wherry sailing, photography, the first of these are due and mill visits travelling by to run in 2019. train and on foot. 5 5 � Broads festivities From the end of April to mid-May 2017 the Broads Outdoors Festival took place across the Broads, thanks to the enthusiasm of our many partners involved in tourism. The Broads Authority’s events included walks to St Benet's Abbey and Hardley Cross, as well engage with people who perhaps don’t as a special open day at Whitlingham know the Broads, and really encourage Country Park with children’s activities them to visit and understand what’s and the chance to meet staff and find special about it. In June 2017 we were out about caring for the Broads. The back at the Royal Norfolk Show with array of other events included special the Broads Village, again involving many open days for drainage mills, wherries, tourism partners, giving show-goers the sailing clubs and museums, plus painting Centre right: Looking quizzical – visitors finding chance to sample all that the Broads and photography courses, and wildlife out about traditional marshman’s tools at the has to offer. Our own exhibits included Norfolk Show and garden visits. Other water activities the Chet boat, a replica of a medieval Top right: Many local schoolchildren visited the offered were canoeing, windsurfing and wooden boat discovered in the River ‘poodunnit?’ quizzes, and try activities Broads National Park’s Broads Village boat trips. Bottom right: Michael Gove, Secretary of State Chet in 2013, and the fen harvester. including water wildlife discovery, for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, meets Participating in major local events is also Visitors could also explore a maze, badge making, children’s crafts and Broads Authority members and staff at the show a very effective way for the Authority to have a go at our marshman’s tools and face painting. 6 � 6 Columbia arrives in the national parks If you’re out and about at work in the Broads all year round you need clothing for all weather conditions and for many varied activities. Spring 2018 saw the arrival of a complete range of uniform in the Broads and the 14 other UK national parks, supplied by Columbia Sportswear in a five-year partnership – the first of its kind for the parks. Keeping in touch Broads events, plus promotion of the National Parks Partnerships, which is Visit the Broads blog, launched in managing the project, has been hugely While tried and tested communications August 2017, while visual content from impressed by Columbia’s environmental tools continue in use (March 2018 partners and the public also provides and ethical commitments as well as their Staff need the right clothes for the job saw publication of the 25th edition of excellent promotional material for the genuine enthusiasm for the UK’s parks Broadcaster, the Broads Authority’s Broads. and plan for long-term support. will encourage the public to explore and visitor magazine) communication with all At Columbia they see it as their celebrate the national parks. those interested in the Broads is always In January 2018 the Authority launched mission to help people enjoy more developing. Broads Briefing as a monthly online Guardian Weekend Magazine articles of the outdoors and consider it their newsletter, open to any subscribers and and Guardian online content featuring Over the past year the Authority’s responsibility to be conscientious highlighting our current news, while the parks have been paid for by social media profile has expanded stewards of our shared environment. also taking the opportunity to promote Columbia. significantly, and is particularly matters of wider national park interest The partnership is providing free useful for National Parks Partnerships is aiming to such as the Government’s 25-year plan clothing for more than 2,000 national communicating secure a small number of national level to improve the environment. You can park staff, all with the branding of the urgent boating partners who, like Columbia, are seeking subscribe to our Broads Briefing at UK national parks and the individual information to reach their objectives through national park names and logos. and details of www.broads-authority.gov.uk/news/ working closely with the parks.