Download the Transnational Ecological Network - South Norfolk ...

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