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TRANSNATIONAL ECOLOGICAL NETWORK PROJECTNORFOLK AND SUFFOLK BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLANSVision for Wetlandstowards Biodiversity-rich FloodplainsTHE WAVENEY & LITTLE OUSE

VISION FOR WETLANDSTOWARDS BIODIVERSITY-RICH FLOODPLAINSTHE WAVENEY AND LITTLE OUSEThe long established wetland habitats of Britainand Western Europe were home to a greatrichness of native species of plants andanimals.These continued to exist side by side withthe needs of local people, who used these areas aspart of their local economy over long periods of timeas grazing land, or to produce thatching materialsand other useful products. However, wetland areas inmuch of Britain and Western Europe have seen greatchanges in the past century. Many rivers and streamshave been straightened, deepened and otherwiserealigned. Water quality has declined. Extraction ofwater from boreholes and improved land drainageand flood protection have led to the drying out ofparts of the floodplains. Much of the land beside therivers, in their flood plains, has been drained andploughed instead of the fens, reedbeds and marshgrassland that had existed for centuries previously.Whilst these changes were brought about to satisfythe perceived need to change land uses, reduceflooding and otherwise ‘improve’ agriculturalproduction, the concomitant decline of the wildlifevalue and hydrological functioning of these formerwetland habitats, and of the species they harboured,has been severe.Assorted ducksThere is now a great wish on the part of public andvoluntary organisations with responsibilities forwildlife, landscape and the environment to seek towork in partnership with local people and the ownersof wetlands, and former wetlands, to regain some ofthe benefits for biodiversity that these areas used tooffer in abundance. Biodiversity is considered as thevariety of life in all its forms. As one contribution tothis effort, partners in the Netherlands, Germany,Denmark and the UK (Suffolk and Norfolk CountyCouncils) have formed a partnership to promoteinitiatives in their areas which will provide benefits forwetland habitats through a project called theTransnational Ecological Network (TEN). Theseinitiatives are to be seen as demonstrations for othersimilar initiatives elsewhere in the partner countriesand beyond.1

The Waveney and Little Ouse rivers form the countyboundary between the two UK partners in thisproject, and accordingly, these two floodplains havebeen selected as the UK’s pilot project. A composite‘vision’ for the possible biodiversity future of thesetwo rivers’ floodplains has been prepared under theauspices of the organisations listed below. The majorprinciples of this are that:Great crested grebeVISIONThe following should be improved to their maximum possible potential in orderto restore or enhance habitat and landscape throughout the valley systems forthe benefit of wetland wildlife and people:● Water quantity● Water quality● Sense of place● Community involvement with environmental initiatives● Public access and amenity which does not degrade the environmentalresource, including unnecessary disturbance to species.The strategic objectives of the vision are to:● Develop sustainable flood defences which provide appropriate standards to peopleand built property and contribute to the benefit of biodiversity● Raise water levels wherever appropriate, particularly in the adjacent marsh and fenareas● Return rivers to more natural channel systems● Raise the river beds, particularly where they have been over deepened in the past● Create buffer zones to core wetlands and corridors to link them● Actively promote land use change to wetter habitats and characteristic landscape● Achieve integrated catchment management● Prevent urban development in the flood plain● Create large scale, near naturally functioning wetlands● Create a mosaic of wetland habitats that complements the existing resource, wherepossible driven by the demands of important species and the nature of existingsoils. Typically, peatland will support fen/alder carr mosaic, while clay land willsupport grazing marsh or reed● Remove or modify bridges, weirs, sluices and other riverside structures wherepossible● Involve community groups and all stakeholders.This is shown in some more detail on the maps attached.2

It is envisaged that this vision should provide afoundation for the various public agencies, landownersand local people with legitimate interests for managingthis area and making their living from it, to worktogether on a voluntary basis to recreate something ofwhat has been lost. Its implementation over time willlead to significant benefits for biodiversity in this part ofNorfolk and Suffolk. Benefits will accrue to nationallytargeted biodiversity habitats such as floodplaingrazing marsh, reedbed, fen, wet woodland, standingwaters and small areas of lowland heath, and to anumber of species such as otter, water vole andmolluscs such as Desmoulin’s snail.OtterIt is not expected that the vision will become reality in ashort time. There is too much to achieve. Rather, if justa small part of the vision could be realised over thenext ten to twenty years, that would representconsiderable success. Working collaboratively inpartnership with all interests should bring real benefitsfor all. Long-term programmes of work funded bypublic agencies could be integrated to deliver parts ofthe vision, bringing benefits for biodiversity and for theenjoyment of local people. There will be a redirection ofagricultural support systems in the course of time, andthis could contribute to this aim. This is alreadyoccurring, for example, through the Rural DevelopmentProgramme, which represents a significantredistribution of money for rural communityenhancement.We hope that local people, and especially those whoown the land, will be interested in some of the ideascontained in this vision. It would not be necessary foreveryone to ‘come on board’ at once, but someenthusiastic partners will be needed to get the task ofrestoration started. Others can join later. Works cannotgo ahead that would not be suppprted by thoseaffected by them. We should like to know whatpotential ‘stakeholders’ think about the vision, andwhether they may wish to contribute to its realisation infuture years. If there is some enthusiasm for realisingthe vision, then the responsible organisations will seekfunding from European and national sources to help toimplement it.Scarce chaser dragonflyThis vision has been prepared by Jeremy Pursegloveof Mott MacDonald on behalf of the Waveney and LittleOuse Partnership under the auspices of theTransnational Ecological Network Project, and it hasbeen accepted by both the Norfolk and SuffolkBiodiversity Action Plan Steering Groups.3

The Waveney and Little Ouse Partnership is made upof representatives of the organisations set out below:● Norfolk County Council● Suffolk County Council● English Nature - Norfolk and Suffolk Teams● Environment Agency - Eastern and Central Areas ofthe Anglian Region● Anglian Otters and Rivers Project● Blo’ Norton and Thelnetham Conservation Volunteers● South Norfolk District Council● Broads Authority● Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs- Rural Development Services● Forest Enterprise● Norfolk Wildlife Trust● Royal Society for the Protection of Birds● Suffolk Wildlife TrustBream4

A longer report is available on request setting out a littlemore of the background to the TEN (TransnationalEcological Network) project and the preparation of thisvision.Graham KingCountryside ManagerNorfolk County CouncilCounty HallNorwichNorfolkNR1 2SGTelephone (01603) 222762email: graham.king@norfolk.gov.ukSue HootonEcologistSuffolk County CouncilSt Edmund HouseIpswichSuffolkIP4 1LZTelephone: (01473) 583182email: sue.hooton@et.suffolkcc.gov.ukSwallowtail butterflyand milk parsley5