Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership Community 2015 Biodiversity Awards www.norfolkbiodiversity.org A voice for Norfolk’s nature Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership Community 2015 Biodiversity Awards Norfolk has a wealth of wildlife and natural environments that support and enrich our lives. The Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership plays a vital role in keeping Norfolk special, bringing together public, private, and voluntary sectors to provide a steer for action on biodiversity, right across the county. Every year, the Partnership organises the Community Biodiversity Awards, to celebrate groups and individuals whose voluntary efforts lead to improvements for biodiversity, and to greater community engagement with local nature sites. The Awards are managed by the Communities and Nature Topic Group of the Partnership, which meets frequently to share news and ideas and to encourage community action for biodiversity across Norfolk. Our Awards are the only ones in Norfolk that focus on voluntary effort for biodiversity. Our values We seek to encourage: a greater appreciation of nature at a local level; care for the natural environment; long-term gains for local nature sites, such as the development of management plans. We are a not-for-profit organisation. Our work The Communities and Nature Topic Group has an active membership drawn from many organisations including The Conservation Volunteers; Norfolk Wildlife Trust; Natural England; Norwich City Council; RSPB; local district councils and Norfolk County Council, and has responsibility for the authorship of several species and habitat action plans (Biodiversity Action Plans) for the county, including swift; barn owl and allotments. Our Awards The Community Biodiversity Awards celebrate groups and individual whose voluntary efforts lead to improvements for biodiversity and to great community engagement with local nature sites. The nomination period is between March and April and our award winners are presented with a framed certificate at our summer awards evening. Winning an award is a recognised accolade for effort to improve the local environment. We have run the Awards for the past 12 years. Impact Feedback from events indicates just how much the Awards (being nominated; receiving an award, the evening itself) mean locally. We believe this positive vibe carries back into the heart of communities, encouraging people to continue their great work for the environment and inspiring others to become involved. Award categories: Best Parish and Town Council This recognises those councils whose direct activities have led to improvements in local biodiversity. Inspiring others This recognises those who have gone the ‘extra mile’ to bring about a wider appreciation of biodiversity. Examples could include: a school which is sharing a wildlife area with the local community; a walks leader; a business that provides a nature trail in their grounds; an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to nature conservation or biodiversity-related education. Best Group This recognises the efforts of a group which has created or organised the best project or site for biodiversity and encouraged local people to access and enjoy their local nature sites. Outstanding Landowner This recognises those who have created opportunities for biodiversity and made provision for community access to that resource. Themed (heathlands) This recognises action taken by local communities to improve this important habitat in Norfolk. The following pages showcase all the nominations received this year Parish and Town Council Award Category Tasburgh Parish Council Tasburgh Parish Council has created a park now known as “Burrfield Park” from derelict wasteland area in the village. The project started in 2006 with the aim of providing an environment where people (particularly children) could come close to nature and also to increase natural habitat. Habitats created include an orchard, natural pond, hazel coppice with bluebells, grassland and deadwood. A board walk give good access to the site for wheelchairs and the park is well used by local groups. Last year’s activities included a day’s bird watch and a moth breakfast. A volunteer group ensures that the park is well maintained and a “Friends of the Park” Facebook page is used to exchange information and photos. Moth breakfast Old Burrfield Park New Burrfield Park Community Biodiversity Awards Scarning Parish Council Scarning Parish Council was nominated for its commitment to Scarning Conservation Volunteers which is working to restore Scarning Water Meadows. The Parish Council funds the Volunteers, the cutting and clearing of the meadows, has purchased a storage shed for equipment and funded two new scrapes and clearing the waterways. Over a short timespan there have been visible improvements in the meadows, with more wildflowers, butterflies, kingfishers and barn owls. The Parish Council is contributing to the cost of information boards, and is hoping to fund the installation of a boardwalk to provide greater access for residents. Area cleared of rank growth and brambles Island scrape Excavating scrape Parish and Town Council Award Category Brundall Parish Council Brundall Parish Council was nominated for its bold engagement with the development process and its plans to preserve a green corridor at the heart of the village, which have led to gains for biodiversity and local people. The Parish Council used money from a recent housing development to purchase a meadow area which will form an important ‘buffer’ habitat and wildlife corridor. The Council has also rented a 12 acre site which they have developed for allotments, a community wood and a wildflower area, with high levels of community involvement and interest. Its Neighbourhood Plan includes policies on field paths, cycle ways and the protection of important views in the village. Cremer’s meadow Group Award Category Acle Lands Trust Acle Lands Trust manages 4 wildlife sites for the Acle Parish Council for nature conservation and community access. Over the past 12 months, the trustees have done much to enhance conservation management and to inspire community enjoyment of the sites. Successes include: entry into Higher Level Stewardship (HLS); creation of a biodiversity inventory; Damgate Wood declared a County Wildlife Site; preparation of a 10 year woodland management plan; a local volunteer group regularly working on conservation activities; major fen restoration and ditch management work at Constable Doles SSSI using grants from the HLS agreement. Moth trapping in Roman Wood with the local community Constable Does before scrub clearance Fungus foray in Damgate Wood contributing to the inventory of biodiversity on Trust lands Constable Does after scrub clearance Group Award Category Natural Heritage Champions (Norwich Fringe Project) The Natural Heritage Champions were nominated for their active management of sites and habitats around Norwich under the direction of the Norwich Fringe Project. The Champions are volunteers from varied backgrounds from retirees, to graduates looking for their first experience of countryside management work. They are trained in a wide range of skills from brush cutters to chippers (and often contribute new skills – such as carpentry) and play a lead role helping the Fringe manage over 20 countryside sites around Norwich for access and biodiversity. Work by the Champions over the winter to establish blackthorn on coppice rotation at Swardeston Common was rewarded with the return of nightingales this spring. Fencing Eaton Common Fencing Marston Marshes Tea break - Heronry Pond Community Biodiversity Awards Shotesham Conservation Group Shotesham Conservation Group is a thriving group that is well supported and appreciated by the village. The group has devised management plans for habitats in the area; organised sponsorship for equipment; undertaken wildlife surveys; and held meetings to discuss wildlife issues with the community. The group manages ponds, two churchyards, common land and meadows on behalf of the owners. They benefit from the knowledge of a conservation– minded farmer, Ed Howard, who has been generous in loaning equipment from the farm when necessary, giving the scope for restoration projects. Village wildlife and flora is thriving, with healthy habitats for butterflies, dragonflies, wildflowers, amphibians and reptiles. Group Award Category Poringland Conservation and Fishing Lakes Association The Association was nominated for its community-led project delivering for wildlife as well as recreation on the lakes it owns. Originally created by the extraction of sand and gravel, the lakes and wetland areas attract a great variety of birdlife and are colonised by wetland plants, dragonflies and insect life. Work on a housing development adjacent to the site resulted in a dramatic drop in water levels at the lakes. Following lengthy negotiations, the developers undertook a restoration programme to save the lakes from drying out. The year-long project is now complete, with two spring-fed conservation ponds remodelled for wildlife and to improve public access. Many volunteers were recruited to help with the restoration programme, offering their different skills to safeguard and improve the site at the heart of the village. Poringland Lakes dry out completely More hands make light work Restored lake Community Biodiversity Awards Bradwell Community Woodland Project Bradwell Community Woodland Project has created a thriving woodland from a meadow near Great Yarmouth which