Our Nature Day brings experts together

Our first-ever Norfolk Nature Day on 15th October was a great success with over thirty people attending the event. The day shone a light on the wonderful community-led nature recovery projects currently underway in and around the village of Great Massingham and further afield.

Open to both members and non-members, the day celebrated the positive work being done in the village. The effectiveness of nature-based collaboration between landowner and parish received special attention. Questions were welcomed throughout the day from those present, many of whom were new to CPRE Norfolk.

Introducing Norfolk Nature Day

Event organiser, Laura Hampton, gave the day’s opening speech on behalf of our president Professor Tim O’Riordan, who was unable to attend due to illness.

Laura talked about the importance of community in nature recovery and the plethora of wider public goods services that approach can serve, from learning new skills to improving mental health.

She went on to re-iterate the charities’ other commitments, including the fight against unrealistic and excessive housing targets, the promotion of green energy, climate change mitigation, and dark skies.

CPRE Norfolk’s opposition to the building of the Norwich Wensum Link Road, which remains catastrophic for wildlife, was also discussed, along with the charity’s calls for more frequent and affordable public transport.

Laura concluded her presentation by emphasising the important role that nature-friendly farming can play for soil health, biodiversity, nutrition, and carbon sequestration.

Regenerative farming and WildEdges

Next to speak was Oliver Birkbeck, our host and owner of Little Massingham Estate.

Olly introduced himself as a founding member of WildEast, a charity focussed on increasing the amount of biodiversity across East Anglia by 20% over the next 50 years. He talked about his reasons for embracing regenerative farming and the role that big wild hedges (or as he calls them, WildEdges) can play in providing the space that nature needs to move around the countryside.

Tea, coffee, and cake were followed by a walk to the farm to see Olly’s WildEdges and his regenerative farming techniques in situ.

Accompanying Olly was local naturalist Julian Moulton, who explained exactly how the different types of habitats that have been allowed to return have attracted such a huge variety of wildlife, both rare and common.

The Great Massingham Biodiversity Project

Tim Baldwin from the Great Massingham Biodiversity Project discussed the moths he had caught overnight with the help of his light trap.

He also gave a fascinating insight into the work of the biodiversity project which plays a central role in the community’s identity. It was incredibly encouraging to hear about the central role Tim and his team are playing in engaging with the school, the villagers, the parish council, the church, and Olly as the local landowner.

Nature Recovery Network

Andy Millar from Natural England gave the final presentation of the day on the importance of building a nature recovery network that spans the entire region. He described the various different government-funded initiatives that link communities with farms, with the help of natural corridors and stepping-stone buffer zones.

Andy also talked about how the organisation is working hard to support green and blue infrastructure.

Heading out again into the big skies of West Norfolk, naturalist Julian gave another talk during a walk onto the 500-acre resorted acid heathland of the estate.

The day of positive nature news ended with a quick guided tour of the Great Massingham Biodiversity Project and a pint in the Dabbling Duck.

Our sincere thanks to everyone involved in making the event such a success.