On 21 August Forncett Nature Matters had a stall at Loddon Wildlife Activities Afternoon, organised by South Yare Wildlife Group. This was a great opportunity to share ideas and experiences with other groups and to enthuse members of the public with what we are doing. One of the strengths of our group is that we form an example of how others could start working towards greater wildlife diversity with their communities. We were inspired by several other groups, particularly in the creative ways in which they encouraged children to get involved. There were also connections which could lead to talks at FNM events - the first of these is likely to be a butterfly talk in February 2023. Our parish map, showing how we are plotting wildlife friendly management of gardens and other spaces, including farmland, attracted attention.
Studying our Forncett mapping of wildlife friendly spaces. Photo: A RaeIn August members of the Steering Group had a very pleasant meeting with Lynne Middlemiss, the founder of the recently formed Mulbarton Environmental Group, part of the longer established MALGA (Mulbarton Allotment and Leisure Garden Association). The new group is well organised and active, and is planning a family activities day in September. Lynne will send us details of this shortly and we will publish dates and times.
Making connections with Mulbarton Environmental Group. Photo: A RaeMay 2022 saw us making connections with other local groups. Tim Ward, a wildlife enthusiast and parish councillor of Tharston and Hapton, got in touch with Forncett Nature Matters, having heard about our activities in our community. Two of our steering group subsequently met up with Tim and fellow councillor, Nick, at one of their parish sites in Hapton. This area, next to the church, is a small, secure and sheltered meadow where dog owners are welcome to train their pets. There are mown paths through and around the meadow, hedges have been laid and the brash kept for a dead-hedge wildlife habitat. Owl boxes have been fixed in the trees, and one is already occupied. Opposite the church is another larger field being developed as a children’s play area combined with wildflower patches and newly planted trees. A long native hedge has been planted for shelter and is growing well. A roomy building is the latest addition and is used for meetings as well as being available for hire, as there is no village hall.
We then moved on towards Tharston to a large area of unspoilt woodland and an old lime pit, and walked the public footpath. This land has been gifted to the parish council, and is going to be very lightly managed by volunteers under the guidance of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. Some new paths and seating areas will be created so that people can peacefully absorb the wide variety of birdsong and wildflowers. A real treasure of a place.
An outstanding concern that the parish wants to address is the state of the river; we are all aware of the flooding problems, but they are also very concerned about pollution levels, having conducted their own tests, and witnessed the dramatic decline of all species that used to be seen in the Tas. (Similar concerns have been noted by FNM: see the article about the river here). It was a very well-spent and informative morning and FNM will keep in touch with our friends down the river.
On 31 May some of the Steering Group, plus Bob Hosea, Forncett’s tree warden, met up with a couple of interesting people ‘found’ by Billy further down and around the Tas Valley. Both are Tree Wardens and have been dedicated wildlife enthusiasts for many years. Sarah Long lives in Shotesham and has much experience working with landowners, advising them which species to plant in their hedgerows and then doing it for them. Ross Jolliffe lives in Saxlingham Thorpe and has a particular interest in mapping ancient trees and signs of their presence, identifying stooled remains of coppiced trees, often many feet in diameter. He is working independently, creating a Google map of his findings in his parish.
Connecting with Tree Wardens. Photo: A RaeThey are very knowledgeable and friendly people to learn from, and both have wide interests in the natural world. They were also very pleased to hear about our active Forncett Nature Matters group - especially liking the idea of our map and the creation of flowery hubs and corridors around the village to help out the pollinating insects. We thoroughly enjoyed a morning of swapping ideas together, and plan to keep in touch.
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- Written by: Christina Wakeford
A magnificent thirty different pollinator-friendly species of plants found new homes at our evening at Forncett Village Hall on 20 May, 2022. There were many old favourites like Ox Eye Daisies, Cornflowers and Lungwort (Pulmonaria) as well as a rarity – the agricultural ‘weed’ Shepherd’s Needle (now rare due to changes in farming methods). Plants which are good for pollinators don’t need to be native wild flowers – many garden plants are great sources of nectar and help maintain a good supply for pollinators from season to season.
Poached Egg Plant Photo: C WakefordWe started off with light hearted informal talks about some of the plants – Christina Wakeford introduced the poached egg flower (Limnanthes douglasii), a colourful early flowering annual which is a great source of nectar for many insects when they need it most. Foxglove was next under the spotlight as Billy Hosea told us about its many benefits and its use in herbal medicine. Pam Merrick brought a good supply of Honeywort (Cerinthe major 'Purpurascens'), a garden plant with lovely grayish foliage and purple flowers on eye-catching purpleish bracts. As its name suggests it is packed with nectar. Pam recommended “Plants for Bees” by W.D.J. Kirk and F.N. Howes published by International Bee Research Association, 2012.
Cerinthe Photo: P Merrick Mick Finnemore, a local ecologist, is involved in a project to see if the Shrill Carder Bee is alive and kicking in South Norfolk. This is one of our rarest bumblebees with only two recorded populations in the UK. After a photograph of a Shrill Carder Bee, believed to have been taken in South Norfolk came to light, Mick has been developing a project to investigate possible sites, including one in Forncett and others locally, using instrumentation developed from bat detectors. The Shrill Carder Bee emits a distinctive high pitched sound and queens in particular can be identified by sound alone. If you’d like to help track it down Mick would welcome more volunteers. Just email us -
It was a great evening with a lovely group of 21 people sharing plants, refreshments and information. Thanks to everyone who brought plants and helped with the organisation. It’s exciting to think of all those insect food banks spreading through Forncett and beyond.
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- Written by: Ally Rae
Spring Hedgerow Walk 2nd April: On a beautiful Spring afternoon, only hours after the last of the hailstorms, some 20 people and a dog enjoyed an afternoon immersed in hedgerows, talking about the immense value of hedgerows to wildlife and the environment and considering how best to manage them. The first hedge we visited was a nice example of a healthy, mixed hedge; we guessed it at about 7 or 8 years old. The Healthy Hedgerows Survey, currently being carried out by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust as part of its Wilder Connections project, recommends cutting mature hedges only every two or three years, as most hedge species flower and fruit on second year wood.
Pollinator Plant Swap 20th May: By the time you read this we will have had an evening of talks including local ecologist Mick Finnemore talking about the search for the rare Shrill Carder Bee in Forncett, followed by a swap of plants that are good for pollinators, so we can spread nectar rich plants throughout the village. Our Forncett Nature Connections map was on display showing how we are doing with our wildlife friendly corridor.
WHATS NEXT?
- Jubilee Celebrations Day –Saturday 4th June 1pm -4pm: We will have a table at this event at the village hall, showing the Forncett Nature Connections map, giving advice about gardening for wildlife and hopefully signing up some more supporters.
- St Peter’s Churchyard Plant Survey - Date to be confirmed: An afternoon looking at some of the wildflowers and naming them. Bring a flask and some food to share
MAKING CONNECTIONS
- Norfolk Wildlife Trust Claylands events – ongoing until December: https://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/whats-on/workshops-for-a-wilder-community
- An Eco play for children - Sunday 12th June 2.30pm in the meadow at Black Barn, Tabernacle Lane NR16 1LE. Aimed at 4-8 years The Miracle Egg is a magical eco-fable about a girl born from an egg and her adventures among the birds, featuring dance and music. 40 mins long.Bring a rug to sit on.£3 per family.
- Wildlife event Sunday pm, August 21 Jubilee Hall, Loddon : An event by South Yare Wildlife Group. We will have a stand showing how we are making the wildlife corridor so other communities can do the same.
Join our supporters group and mailing list by emailing us at
We publicise our events through email, the Forncett e-noticeboard, the Forncett Flyer and the village website – look under Coming Events.
WHAT’S ABOUT
Spotted Fylcatcher. Photo By Martin Mecnarowski (http://www.photomecan.eu/) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12694053- Look out for acrobatic Spotted Flycatchers, seen this week near St Mary’s Church, darting out from a tree, catching insects on the wing and then twisting mid-air and returning to the same spot. They look as if they have left home, only to turn back because they can’t remember if they locked the front door. Spot them quickly because they’ll be leaving for Africa as soon as early August, whether or not they locked the door.
- Leave a patch of long grass and spot goldfinches on your lawn, feeding on dandelion clocks. A great photo-op!
- The beautiful and increasingly rare Turtle Dove has also arrived back from Africa. We’d love to hear from you if you spot one or hear its distinctive purring. Most likely to be seen on scrubland or in hedges near to arable fields, where they feed on seeds from cereals or wildflowers
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- Written by: Carol Sharp
Saturday, 02 April 2022 14:30 – 16:30, Meet at Forncett Village Hall
On a beautiful Spring afternoon, only hours after the last of the hailstorms, some 20 people and a dog enjoyed an afternoon immersed in hedgerows, talking about the immense value of hedgerows to wildlife and the environment and considering how best to manage them. The first hedge we visited was a nice example of a healthy, mixed hedge; we guessed it at about 7 or 8 years old. The Healthy Hedgerows Survey, currently being carried out by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust as part of its Wilder Connections project, recommends cutting mature hedges only every two or three years, as most hedge species flower and fruit on second year wood. It’s also really important not to cut back to the same point every year, which causes a ‘knuckle’ to form at the top of the hedge, while frequent over-trimming causes the lower stems to weaken and gradually die off, forming the characteristic ‘mushroom’ shape seen so often.
Admiring the hedge on Dick Barnes land. Photo Carol SharpNext, we walked out over the water meadows behind St Mary’s Church to look at a hedge recently planted by volunteers from the Forncett community along the footpath. We pooled the group’s knowledge and came up with a winning combination of expertise, luck and guesswork to identify each of the 12 species planted, from their buds or emerging leaves. Finally, we looked at the ancient hedge, forming the boundary of the river valley. No longer a hedge really, but a collection of trees, it nonetheless has a beauty and value of its own, providing food and a home for many birds, mammals and insects. We lingered in the last of the warm afternoon sun, reflecting on how lucky we are to live in this lovely piece of countryside.
Afterwards, tea and cakes at the village hall gave everyone a chance to check up on the progress of our village map, where we have outlined gardens and fields to map wildlife-friendly habitats which we hope to link up to the national B-Line Project.
More information about hedgerow management can be found on the website of the People’s Trust for Endangered Species, where you can download the Healthy Hedgerows App.
How we advertised the event:
We are holding our Spring Hedgerow Walk. We’ll be enjoying all the signs of spring, whilst looking at three very different hedges and talking about how to manage hedges to make them into wonderful habitats for wildlife. The leisurely walk will take about an hour and a half, leaving from Forncett Village Hall at 2.30pm. The walking is generally easy, but there are some marshy areas out on the water meadows, so you’ll need suitable footwear. Children are welcome, accompanied by an adult. It’s free!
Afterwards come and enjoy refreshments in the Village Hall. If you’d rather not walk, or would like to shorten your walk, then feel free to come straight to the Village Hall for a cup of tea and a chat.
You’ll be able to have a look at our giant Village Map and see how the village is getting on connecting up those pollen rich gardens and meadows to create bee-friendly corridors.
Meet up with like-minded people! See you there!
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- Written by: Judy Thomas
Simon Hurwitz is happy to build owl nest boxes to order and supply them at very reasonable cost. He can also advise on locations for boxes and assist with putting them up. If the boxes are successful in attracting owls, he can also help with cameras if required. His phone number is 07808 684723.
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- Written by: Jo Marsden