Natural Norfolk are very pleased to share with you with the news that Norfolks Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) has been finalised and published today, the 31^st October 2025. The documentation, comprising the full strategy, alongside the Local Habitat Map is available at the following links:

Norfolk's Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) - Norfolk County Council

Norfolk and Suffolk Nature Recovery Partnership Publications

As you are aware, this is the cumulation of a number of years work from the Norfolk County Council team as Responsible Authority, working closely with Suffolk County Council and supported by the Norfolk and Suffolk Nature Recovery Partnership, alongside countless other stakeholders. We would like to thank everyone who has been involved, contributed and advised throughout this process.

The document and mapping tool can now be used and referenced as required, so please do share with your appropriate colleagues and contacts. In the next few weeks, there will be additional resources added to the websites, including the executive summaries and technical support document for the mapping, so please do look out for further updates.

Local Habitat Map. Screenshot. Natural Norfolk 

We consider this significant milestone strengthens our position from which to lead, support and drive nature recovery action across the region.

As a brief overview, our role as Responsible Authorities for the next steps is starting to be defined and comprises of four main areas:

1) Lead and convene a delivery partnership
2) Embed LNRS into local decision making
3) Identify strategic projects and facilitate project development
4) Monitor and report on delivery of LNRS priorities

We look forward to working with you in the next stages and maintaining the momentum the development process has initiated, so please do look out for future communication from us.

Please feel free to contact the team on  if you have any questions.

Apologies if you receive this communication more than once, we are, as we hope you understand, aiming to contact all of our stakeholders with this exciting news!

With kind regards

Jen Burlingham, Norfolk and Suffolk Nature Recovery Partnership Manager

and

The Norfolk LNRS Team

Details

Written by: Natural Norfolk

Published: 20 June 2026

Please note that this will take place upstairs in the Steam Museum (not the Village Hall)
This event promises to be of huge interest to all of us who love these beautiful and mysterious creatures of the night. Presented by Simon and Nick, and illustrated with taxidermy specimens, photos and videos, etc. We'll hear stories from these two owl experts and find out how these wonderful birds can be supported around our countryside.
Licensed bar and other refreshments.

Details

Written by: Jo Marsden & Carol Sharp

Published: 14 September 2025

Details

Written by: Ally Rae

Published: 06 September 2025

Native orchids were among the many plants we saw as the group of 17 FNM supporters and friends strolled across Forncett Meadows – the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) bordering the River Tas behind St Peter’s church. It was notified in 1985 as one of only 3 remaining areas of unimproved grassland in the Tas valley. Initially managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, it has been privately owned for about 30 years, lightly grazed by a variety of livestock at different times, currently horses belonging to settled travellers. 

Forncett Meadows Photo: Carol Sharp 

Our guide was Debbie Sutton who has been involved with its care and management for many years. Following the footpath between the church and the school, we came to fields on either side of the path; those on the church side of the Tas are agricultural land, those on the far side form the SSSI. All are under the same ownership and managed in the same way. Areas of grazed meadow, beautiful with the yellow of Buttercups, Creeping Cinquefoil and Bird’s Foot Trefoil and the startling bright green of Crosswort, are interspersed with taller marsh vegetation, alder trees along the river and scrub with mature trees on the higher ground. 

Crosswort Photo: Carol Sharp 

None of us had seen Crosswort anywhere else in Norfolk, although NWT describes it as common. Crossing the Tas on plank bridges, the SSSI has an even greater variety of habitats, a seepage line on the valley side giving some very damp areas where Common Spotted Orchids flourish. Luckily Crosswort and Orchids have spilled out onto the footpath so can be enjoyed by everyone. Pam Merrick, our local botanist, and Adele Greere, who surveyed the plants in St Peter’s Churchyard for the NWT, were both able to identify many of the plants we came across. Debbie also introduced us to a survey of molluscs (snails) carried out in 1998 which showed what a very rich environment it is. The damp, but waterless river bed - the original meandering course of the Tas before it was straightened in 1943, contributes to the mosaic of habitats. Forncett Meadows is vulnerable. Unless levels of grazing are maintained coarser plants smother the more delicate ones and the variety of insects and animals declines. The health of the river Tas, is especially important – one of a small number of chalk streams – and as we know liable to flooding, perhaps especially so since it’s been straightened. 

The meadow at Orchard House Photo: Carol Sharp 

After our own meandering many of us made our way to Orchard House, on the Tas Valley Way, where Rosemary and Christina had laid out a wonderful selection of dishes for our Bring & Share lunch. It made a lovely, sociable break in a fascinating visit. We then had the unexpected delight of a tour of Rosemary’s meadow – the most beautiful array of Ox-Eye daisies and native Orchids (Common Spotted and Pyramidal) that I think I’ve ever seen. 

Oxeye Daisies, Yellow Rattle, Common Spotted Orchids- and so many others! Photo: Carol Sharp 

We had the perfect weather, company and environment to make us feel truly grateful to live in such a place. It was inspiring to see what nature can do given space, thoughtful management and minimal disturbance.

FNM would like to thank the owners of the SSSI for allowing us to share their very special space, not usually open to the public. Debbie was a font of knowledge as was Pam – thank you both. Finally we are grateful to Rosemary for a great venue for lunch and a wonderful tour. In our own small ways we too can each help to create the space nature needs.

NB You can see information about the SSSI and why it is protected here.

Details

Written by: Ally Rae

Published: 30 June 2025

We were delighted with the turnout of 21 children and 12 adults for our recent children's event.
Thank you to all the hardworking organisers and the generous refreshment providers - the vibrant table of food was a very popular repeat filling-station for the children!

Special thanks to Gill Starkie who oversaw many of the activities provided by the steering group. As the children proudly wore their wild masks in the final minutes around a 'campfire', Gill held them spellbound as she encouraged them in their imaginings. Owls, foxes, stag beetles, frogs, oak trees and bees responded by acting out their chosen Wild Life.

Many of the attendees had been notified of the event by the children's grandparents who had read about it in their FNM newsletter, so thank you to them for passing on the message to their young families.
The well-researched resources we devised are going to be shared with similar groups all around our Norfolk network, so it's good to know the format and mask designs along with other info provided for the older children will be reused.  

 Photos Jo Marsden

Details

Written by: The Steering Group

Published: 05 June 2025

'Life on the Edge' was a popular subject and a keen audience came along for Dr Pam Merrick's beautifully illustrated talk on 25th April which helped us to identify some of the wildflowers to be seen on a Forncett verge.

Pam Merrick introducing Cuckcoo Pint. Photo: Carol Sharp

 Pam outlined the features that help to make road verges particularly diverse in plant life, which in turn provides food and habitat for insect, birds and small mammals. Road verges are important corridors for nature, helping to prevent small populations become isolated and in-bred. Factors which damage verges such as herbicide drift from adjoining fields and being driven over when passing places are not used, helped us to appreciate the fragility of these often overlooked environments. The array of examples of wayside plants which Pam provided gave us a wonderful insight into the finer features of many species. Pam has written an article giving the flavour of her presentation which you can read here, published in the Forncett Flyer. Such was the interest in the subject that several people volunteered to do their own surveys. To make this a community effort is the ideal way to gather valuable information and we welcome any of you to have a go. Please contact us via our This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  if you'd like to join in and we'll put you in touch with Pam. 

Pam has also surveyed St Edmunds Chuchyard and part of Common Road, whilst members of the FNM Steering Group have carried out surveys of Overwood Lane, part of Cheyney’s Lane and the ditches around Jubilee Green at Forncett Village Hall. Norfolk Wildlife Trust have undertaken a comprehensive Survey of St Peter’s Churchyard. Three other areas are being surveyed this year.

FNM is working closely with Norfolk County Council's Greenspaces initiative to survey and nominate some of Forncett's verges for special protection as Roadside Nature Reserves, which will be wonderful for our pollinating insects. The more data we have, the better.  In June 2025 parts of Valley Farm Lane (Forncett) and Hurn Lane (Tacolneston) were designated as Roadside Nature Reserves.

If you missed Pam's talk or would like to pursue the subject further, the best place for information is the award winning information available through Plantlife.

This meeting is an essential one for everyone wanting to learn more about our main vision of creating Green Corridors throughout Forncett. Having mapped the many properties where people have pledged to care for their outdoor space with wildlife in mind, we can now see real potential for linking these valuable habitats via our verges. Our main speaker, botanist Pam Merrick, will give an illustrated talk, telling us how we can best care for 'Life on the Edge', to create pollinator pathways throughout the village - our very own B-Line.

Details

Written by: Christina Wakeford & Ally Rae

Published: 29 March 2025

A mud-brown, snaking channel leads to a much larger and deeper scrape in the low-lying land in a green field beside the River Tas. This is the start of habitat enhancing work being carried out by Forncett Nature Matters supporters Justin, Steve and Mark. Members of the FNM Steering Group were delighted with an invitation to visit in November. Justin, Steve and Mark purchased 3.2 acres of land in Forncett about a year ago and are really interested in developing its wildlife potential. The land lies to the right of the River Tas on the downstream side just beyond the hump-back bridge on Long Stratton Road – you may have noticed a digger in action. The new owners have been busy working with the Environment Agency and other bodies, as well as making contact with neighbouring landowners, to take their plans forward.

FNM Steering Group with Steve & Justin on their land. Photo: A Rae

The large scrape, partially following a previous course of the Tas, aims to provide additional flood capacity in the water meadow. This will both alleviate flooding downstream and, it is hoped, hold water for part of the season, creating wetland habitat for wading birds and other wildlife. Justin and Steve will be eagerly awaiting the first snipe.

There are now several owners of small acreages alongside the Tas with a keen interest in nature – wonderful news in creating the connected habitats animals, insects and plants need. Owners of larger acreages, especially along the Tas Valley Way, have also maintained rich areas of rough pasture and hedgerows, including a Site of Special Scientific Interest, making the Tas Valley one of our best Green Corridors or B(iodiversity) Lines.

Following our invitation to Nathan Walker, Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group, to talk to FNM in October 2024, Nathan has shared with us news of an initiative for landowners along the Tas – one of Norfolks chalk streams.

“Water Resources East (WRE) has commissioned Norfolk FWAG to support farmers and landowners in the Tas Catchment to understand opportunities for Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and the funding available. The benefits of NbS could result in reduced pressure from abstraction, improved chalk stream habitat, natural flood management, increased biodiversity, improvements to green infrastructure and improved water quality/nutrient neutrality measures… To understand if you are eligible to receive free support, with a view to scheduling your walkover visit, please contact Henry Walker at Norfolk FWAG:

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Call: 07713 333205.”

You can find out more about the project here 

Thanks to Steve, Justin and Mark for a fascinating visit and to everyone who is doing their bit for nature.

Ally Rae

January 2025

Details

Written by: Ally Rae

Published: 26 January 2025

Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) was introduced to Kew Gardens from Kashmir in 1839, brought as an ornamental plant and dispersed by gardeners and beekeepers who celebrated its nectar rich flowers.

It is indisputably a handsome plant with sweet, scented purple to pink flowers   growing to at least two metres in height with hollow red stems. It is an annual plant, withering in the autumn, but its highly efficient seed dispersal means that it can colonise the damp places it favours, riverbanks, ditches and wet meadows, swiftly. Its seeds are spread by the extraordinary spring mechanism of its pods, scattering them up to seven metres from the parent plant.

Many groups of conservationists see it as a thug and a threat: choking waterways, eroding riverbanks and smothering native species.

"Himalayan balsam" by Ashley Basil is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Organisation have adopted a best practice guide, RAPID, that stands for Reducing and Preventing Invasive Alien Species and Dispersal. They organised a Big Balsam Bash in 2021 where volunteers tore up Himalayan Balsam from riverbanks. It is in fact easy to pull up because it has very shallow roots and grows in soft ground.

As far as I could see on my internet search a lone voice speaks up for Himalayan Balsam – Chris Thomas, Professor of Conservation Biology at York University. He believes such species can add to biodiversity. He says that plants and animals are altering where they live because of climate change and because we human beings are steadily and relentlessly changing the world’s habitats. Professor Thomas’s message is that we should ‘attempt to embrace the new invaders’ and that there are more useful ways of helping wildlife and native plants than by bashing balsam.

Helen Baczkowska of NWT tells us that the Trust hand pulls Himalayan Balsam where it becomes dominant, especially on nature reserves where it is crowding out other plants. However she says that we live in such changing times that it is not easy to know what the best strategy is and “overall I suspect that trying to eradicate it is unlikely to succeed and so we need to live with it a lot of the time, but in certain cases we might need to monitor or control it, especially where it chokes water courses or crowds out orchids.”

Sources:

wyevalleyaonb.org.uk

nonnativespecies.org

wildlifetrusts.org

Guardian newspaper 7.6.21

 You can read more about monitoring the spread of Himalayan Balsam here

Written October 2022

Published January 2025

Details

Written by: Hilary Hosea

Published: 22 January 2025

Sunday 16th February 12 - 2pm.
This will be a lunchtime occasion (bring and share a dish) and will include a couple of inspirational 10 minute talks about what's happening nature-wise around our village - good news stories to cheer us on our way into 2025.  Drinks provided.
Please reply to Christina on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to book.

Details

Written by: The Steering Group

Published: 16 January 2025

Forncett Nature Matters recently welcomed Nathan Walker from the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) to talk to us about his role in helping farmers with the recent government-driven changes in agricultural policy.  Our Green County Councillor, Catherine Rowett and a local small-scale farmer kindly volunteered to join Nathan, forming a panel afterwards which kickstarted a lively Q and A session.

Photo: Carol Sharp

In his talk Nathan ran through the many reasons for the loss of biodiversity in recent history:

• Climate crisis -exacerbated by our use of fossil fuels
• Urbanisation - causing habitat loss and fragmentation
• Water management - wetlands drying out and disappearing
• Pollution - of air, soils, rivers and seas (eg chemicals/microplastics/waste management)

Government policy after WW2 encouraged agricultural intensification, with the aim of increasing yields to feed a rapidly growing population. Payments to farmers were linked to this policy.  Many farmers had to turn from hay meadows and hay making to uniform grass meadows for silage, and from mixed farming to monoculture. There was a switch from spring- to autumn-sown cereals, leaving few overwintered stubbles that birds and small mammals had relied on. Pesticides, herbicides and fungicides were employed, along with artificial fertilisers. Hedgerows were taken out to accommodate larger machinery, and prairie-sized fields destroyed connectivity of habitats for nature.

We now know that the unintended consequence of all this was a devastating loss of biodiversity, and, with this crisis in mind, Government policies for farming have now changed radically. Alongside the production of high quality food, care of the environment is also recognised as essential.  The Environment Act of 2021 laid out statutory targets for restoring biodiversity. It introduced Agri-Environment Schemes and Environmental Stewardship, which have now become Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS).  Payments to farmers are to be linked accordingly.  Our farmer panellist, who has taken advantage of the older Environment Schemes, told us the process with ELMS is quite a challenge and not always straightforward!

The Norfolk FWAG try to make sense of legislation for farmers. It is a charity created in 1969 and gives farmers help in managing their land with an environmental focus, and filling in paperwork to receive payment for it. Farmers look at the ways they can expand habitats for wildlife through buffer zones alongside their sown fields, maintaining, enhancing and restoring hedges and ditches, restoring ponds, fens, reedbeds and wetland and looking after sustainable, biodiverse woodland.

As Nathan said, the biggest asset on the farm is its soil. Well-managed soil produces good crops, retains water and reduces flooding in heavy rains. Healthy soil structure is good for roots, supports worms and other soil dwellers and has a rich microbiome of fungi and bacteria.  Habitats around the farm are vital homes for diverse species. They provide shelter, warmth and nectar, nesting places and food such as wild plant seeds and hedgerow berries. The better connected the habitats, the more effective they are, and they need protection from intensive agricultural activities.

  Field margin in Forncett Photo: Ally Rae

Many of our South Norfolk farmers already leave fallow plots for ground nesting birds such as skylarks and for the brown hare. Some are also supporting wildlife by adding networks of hedgerows and field margins for greater connectivity. Those on the old stewardship schemes have already got a head start. On awkwardly shaped bits of land winter bird seed mixes are appearing, and native wildflowers are sown. Margins and sometimes whole fields are being devoted to plants for pollinators, which often double as green manures to be incorporated later to help to improve soil structure.

Thank you to Nathan and the panel for a very stimulating and thought provoking meeting. Interesting discussions continued over refreshments. It made everyone aware of the importance of supporting our farmers as they come to terms with the changes the new legislation will bring.

What Can We do to Help?

• Be an informed consumer. Support your local farmers – short supply chains are best.
• Lobby your MP for sufficient financial support for conservation.
• Support the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and the Woodland Trust, all helping to support farmers in their task to restore biodiversity.
• Have a look at the work of Norfolk FWAG.

This event - a Talk and Q&A - will be an important one for farmers, other landowners, and gardeners wishing to keep up to date with environmental farming practices, so please put the date below in your diary (yes, it's Thursday for a change!) and share the information with anyone you know who would be interested, including those people who don't have access to technology and often miss out on publicity. 

Speaker Nathan Walker is the Farming Conservation Advisor for FWAG, (Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group.) 

The Association supports farmers in choosing some of the best ways to implement measures to enhance wildlife and landscape on farmland.

All are welcome - farmers especially; the rest of us will learn how to better understand and appreciate the life and work of the farmers who are at the heart of the communities of South Norfolk.

There will be a panel of down to earth people to discuss all your questions.

Free entry, but donations to cover costs are gratefully accepted.

Light refreshments will be served. Wine available. 

Details

Written by: Hilary Hosea and Christina Wakeford

Published: 02 October 2024

On the 14^th September, 2024, the weather decided to be extremely kind to us and we had a very enjoyable walk along some local footpaths in lovely warm sunshine.

 We’re off! (photo by Carol Sharp)

The walk started at Carol’s meadow, just off Tabernacle lane, and we proceeded along the lane, until we reached the steps that have been cut into the bank for access to the start of our footpath walk, on Footpath 30. This walk would take us on a circular route of some two and a half miles, avoiding all but a short section of roads.

 The group on the first part of FP30 (photo by Carol Sharp)

The first section of FP30 is at a relatively high point, allowing fabulous views to the south, and this is one of the many views that are planned to be decimated by the march of huge, 50m high pylons, running for some 180km from Norwich to Tilbury:-

 View South. The pylons would run right to left in the dip between the wheatfield and the sugarbeat above. (photo by Keith Fromings)

 Route of proposed Pylons through Forncett . National Grid.

From this point we continued along the footpath, passing a hedge filed with Brambles containing some rather tasty blackberries. A butterfly that delights in basking in the sunshine, sipping the nectar from the bramble flowers, is the Comma, so called because the underside of the wings, on both sexes, has a distinctive white “Comma”. This lovely butterfly is the only British butterfly with ragged edges to the wings, giving the appearance of torn drying leaves in the autumn colours.

 Comma (photo by Carol Sharp)

We continue along FP30, down a hill towards a group of houses at Cordwell, where we join one of the Bunwell footpaths, FP10, and follow this initially South.

 South run of Bunwell FP10 (photo by Phil Whiscombe)

We bear East, along a lower point roughly where the pylons would run and cross the path. A ditch runs the length of this path and is again edged with various hedges, trees, plants and insect life. Deer and rabbits are very often seen along and around this path, enjoying the quiet of the area, some distance from any of the roads, and sheltered in the low lying fields.

 Broad Plantain (Perhaps?) (photo by Carol Sharp)

We follow this path until we reach the road at Brocks Water, a ford that frequently floods in the rainy season (as fords frequently do!) and head along the road (Tabernacle lane again) until the turning into Gilderswood. [The exposed earth bank on this corner is an excellent place to see the burrows of solitary bees, while the rough pasture in the back of the shot has been explored as a possible habitat of the very rare Shrill Carder Bee - Editor]

 Tabernacle Lane/Gilderswood junction at Brocks Water (photo by Phil Whiscombe)

A short walk up the hill, passing some pretty impressive Rabbit Warrens in the hedgerow, brings us to a footpath on the left. This is Forncett FP26, which crosses another field of sugar beat, that has completely covered the actual footpath. So, we take advantage of the tracks left by the farm machinery to skirt around the fields.

 Making use of the tracks on FP26 (photo by Carol Sharp)

We emerge at a junction on Long Stratton road and a short walk westbound, along a narrow lane, brings us to a junction that joins up once again to Tabernacle Lane. Here, we turn right across another field, along FP 28.

 Nearly back, crossing FP28 (photo by Carol Sharp)

A few more steps bring us back to our starting point, in Carol’s meadow. Our walk has taken us around 2 hours, enjoying company, conversation, and the warmth of the pleasant sunshine.

 The group of intrepid walkers (photo by Phil Whiscombe)

Forncett footpaths (plus Bunwell 10)

We are very lucky to live in an area that has so many lovely walks, with safe footpaths.  This was made especially relevant just a few years ago at the height of the Pandemic. Those who lived in the cities, possibly in high rise flats with no gardens, must have been particularly affected by constraints on their movement.

But, Pandemic or not, getting out and about is so beneficial for our health and wellbeing, and I believe access to our wonderful network of footpaths is vitally important. They are worth fighting for where the need arises and thanks should go to the landowners who give their permission to walk some of these paths and to a few volunteer workers that help to maintain them, cutting the grass and hedges and reporting issues that can then be raised with Highways in an effort to rectify any problems.

I enjoyed our walk together and it’s a shame that I couldn’t stay to join the tea party. Thank you Carol for this, and I hope you all got what you wanted from our small expedition.

 

Details

Written by: Keith Fromings

Published: 23 August 2024

Please join us at Forncett Village Hall and the adjoining Jubilee Green for a creative workshop suitable for children of nursery and primary ages. No need to book. Drop in and out any time between 10am and 1pm. It’s free of charge and refreshments for children and carers will be provided. (Donations are always very welcome but not obligatory). 
Creative activities on wildlife themes will be provided by experienced leaders in the Village Hall with some outside activities, weather permitting. Carers are responsible for their children’s well-being and safety. Providing an old shirt is a good idea to cover up children’s clothes for painting, using clay, etc. If it’s hot please also bring sunscreen and a sun hat. We have a gazebo for shelter but if it’s very wet and windy or chilly all the activities will be in the Village Hall. 
We are still being vigilant about transmission of Covid 19 so if any member of your household has any symptoms please do not attend this event.

Also, please note that no dogs are allowed on this occasion. Thank you.

Details

Written by: Carol Sharp

Published: 02 July 2024

Our guide was Peter Aspinall, six generations of whose family have been custodians of this rare and wonderful habitat. No herbicides or other chemical sprays, and no heavy machinery have ever been used on these richly biodiverse acres which nestle in a floodplain between areas of higher ground. It is carefully managed by Peter with the help of some dedicated volunteers and advice from Natural England.

Gathering on Flordon Common, Photo: C Wakeford

We saw several species of wild orchid, from the Common Spotted and Marsh Orchids to the unusual Twayblade and Marsh Helleborine - as well as a few hybrids that made identification sometimes tricky.  There were many familiar plants that love damp conditions, such as Ragged Robin, Meadow Buttercup and Hemp Agrimony, along with the more unusual Fairy Flax, Bog Pimpernel and Black Bog Rush.
Peter carefully lifted corrugated sheets and pieces of deadwood to reveal to us the grass snakes and lizard sheltering beneath. He pointed out and named the grasshoppers, colourful beetles and hoverflies that were everywhere among the grasses.

Grass snake. Photo A Syme

 He was a most knowledgeable host who likes nothing better than sharing his love of this very special haven and we were all extremely grateful for his generosity and engaging warmth.
Christina

It was lovely to see so many orchids dotting the fen. The southern purple was prominent because of size and intense colour. Every square foot yielded something of Interest and sometimes rarity, but Peter Aspinall was never daunted; he seemed to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the insects, plants and birds of Flordon Common.
Claire

Fairy Flax. Photo A Syme

I very much enjoyed the wonderful guided walk with the Forncett nature matters group. It was an amazing opportunity to take some photographs of some plants I hadn’t seen before - the fairyflax flower was particularly beautiful! I was also lucky enough to see a grass snake - this was the first time I had seen one before! I look forward to any future events.
Annie

Thick Thigh Beetle. Photo E Syme

The common is truly a magnificent example of an area that thrived because of its long management under low-intensity agriculture on land that, even in the heyday of subsidies, would have been too expensive to crop for very long (and thank goodness that Peter's grandmother stopped people from attempts). Landowners have always been encouraged by authorities or agricultural service-providers to 'improve' grassland but in a shared resource, like a common, agreement about exactly what to do, who pays and who benefits would likely have made habitat destruction difficult to organise. My thoughts on the visit were busily occupied in drawing comparisons of the flora at my own patch and other areas of the Tas Valley and what has produced such abundance and variety. Key reasons would be plenty of sunshine over the meadows, free of shading trees, wet ground and a bit of churning from grazing animals as well as the particular microclimate produced by geography and surrounding landscape. Happily now, Peter is lucky to have this treasure on his doorstep and it is very lucky to have him!
Ross

Thank you very much to Peter and the Forncett Nature Matters team for a fascinating look at the nature on Flordon Common. I spent a happy couple of hours engrossed in all the beauty around us. A great way to switch off and relax.

Emily

June 2024

Details

Written by: Christina Wakeford

Published: 28 June 2024

Every year we present a report to Forncett Parish Council outlining our activities and achievements. You can read them here:

April 2023 - April 2024

Children's Art Worshop, 2023. Photo: Carol Sharp

Forncett Nature Matters (FNM), a nature group with 85 supporters committed to increasing biodiversity in the Forncetts, had a varied programme of activity last year. 'The Art of Mini-beasts' was a very successful children’s event with artist Andy Jarrett (August). 'Trees – Rooted in Community' showcased the importance of trees to the environment (November). 'A Drama of Insect Loss' was a wonderful one-woman show by Helen Wells on the fate of the rare Grizzled Skipper butterfly (February 2024). We’ve also been out and about with a Spring Walk in April and a May visit to supporter Ros Joliffe’s Tas-side garden, where a colony of rare native crayfish has been spotted.

Spreading the word about reversing the decline in nature is crucial and we continue to have regular features in the Forncett Flyer and an article published in Village People last year. The village website is vital to share information and we update our pages regularly, whilst emailing a monthly newsletter to supporters. We had stalls at South Yare Wildlife Group’s event in Loddon in July and at the Forncett / South Norfolk Anti-Pylons walk in September. We have also been learning from others - visiting Wild Patch Open Gardens, co-ordinating with landowners for the recent meeting on the Tas River Catchment organized by the Norfolk Rivers Trust and NWT and attending Conservation Task Leaders Training.

We are partners with the Friends of St Peter’s in planning aspects of their National Lottery Heritage Fund grant application, including ‘Four Seasons in a Country Churchyard’. Recently the Parish Council has invited us to help with the Clean Up and Bloom Grant they received by identifying and planting up suitable sites.

It’s been a busy and successful year!

Ally Rae, FNM Steering Group

April 2022- April 2023

A well attended evening on River Wildlife Corridors. Photo: Ally Rae

By sharing knowledge and ideas through talks, walks, articles and surveys Forncett Nature Matters (FNM) aims to enrich local biodiversity and link habitats. We currently have 60 supporters.

Our events in April ’22 began with a Hedge Walk, led by one of our members, looking at a successful mixed native species hedge planted by a FNM member with village volunteers and supported by the Tree Warden; a flourishing five year old hedge planted by a local farmer and an ancient hedgerow in water meadows above the Tas.These hedges all provide vital wildlife corridors.

In May, with insects in mind, we held a pollinator plant swap in the Village Hall and in July we carried out a Churchyard Plant Survey at St Peter’s with vital help from our members.

In October we had an Autumn walk and seed swap.

We had a successful series of talks: in September, ‘Ponds for Wildlife’ by one of our members; in January 2023 ‘River Wildlife Corridors’, where we caught a glimpse of many Tas river creatures including the rare white-clawed crayfish, and ‘How to Help Butterflies’ on zoom in February. River Wildlife Corridors proved particularly popular attracting over 50 people.

We supply advice to our members when it is asked for, for example on pond conservation work where trees need to be cleared to let in light and restore oxygen levels for the benefit of newts, toads, frogs and insects.

We are still adding wildlife friendly areas to our giant analogue village map, including verges and gardens. Our plans for the coming year are a rich mix to encourage more peopleto help nature flourish locally.

Hilary Hosea, FNM Steering Group.

April 2021- April 2022

Learning about hedges. Photo: Carol Sharp

This group came into being in October 2021, when a group of people, intensely interested in the natural world decided to pool their energies and knowledge into improving bio-diversity in the Forncetts.   One aim is to make green corridors, a bit like the National movement for a 'B-Line' which actually stands, not for bees, but bio-diversity.  We hope, like so many others, to help protect and support our rich but endangered wildlife, far too varied and numerous to list.  In order to do this we also need to consider the health of the soil, appropriate trees and plants and the river. To help us, we acquired a very large scale map of the Forncetts.  At our first meeting, we invited all those who were in accord with the general aims of the group and were willing to garden as organically as possible, to mark their garden on the map.  We hope to see where gardens and land can be joined by any extra planting or judicious cutting to improve the lot of wildflowers. The map will give us an idea of progress made.

Our web-site can be found on the village web-site and we plan regular meetings so that all can discover more about wildlife and how to support it. Also, we know there are people in the village who have expertise and we hope very much they will join us so that we learn in greater depth about the life-cycles and needs of wildlife.  So far we have had a 'dead-hedge' event, a meeting to examine and identify plants with berries which provide winter nourishment and a 'living-hedge' walk.  The next event is to be a 'Pollinator Plant Swap', to be held at the village hall on the 20th May.

We do not make any charges at present, but hope to cover the cost of hall-hire by asking for modest donations.  We hope lots of people will join and consider how they can make their own garden into a 'nature reserve'.

Claire Jordan, FNM Steering Group

Details

Written by: FNM Steering Group

Published: 30 May 2024

Robin Holmes sent in some fascinating photos of a bush opposite his house in Forncett St Mary, festooned, almost entirely, in a greyish, silken web.  Inside is a mass of caterpillars munching up the leaves. It is a spindle tree. In Autumn it has lovely pink and orange berries – the four golden orange seeds lapped in the four pink lobes that form the fruit.

Ermine spindle caterpillars in their webbing protection. Photo: Robin Holmes

The adult moth thanks to David Short, Creative Commons, https://www.flickr.com/photos/14583963@N00/23685906363

April 2024

Reference

Geoffrey Grigson, A Herbal of all Sorts, 1959, Phoenix House, London,

Details

Written by: Hillary Hosea

Published: 04 April 2024

If you were lucky enough to have been at Pam Merrick's talk on summer pollinators you will have gathered lots of information about how to make our gardens as pollinator-friendly as possible.  Planting in drifts helps insects; less travel - less energy used.

Discussions after a fascinating evening. Photo Carol Sharp

Pam also gave us valuable lists of plants, plus startling facts about the numbers of different pollinators; 1500 is a conservative estimate. There are around 240 species of solitary bees, 27 bumblebees and just 1 species of honeybee, plus 59 species of butterflies. Then of course there are hoverflies, moths, beetles and many others. It was a fascinating and engaging talk with lots of ideas to make our gardens beautiful to ourselves and valuable to pollinators of all sorts.  Thanks to Pam for such a great evening, and to all those who helped with our excellent refreshments.

Pam's lists, which include plants favoured by the different pollinators, are available here:
Plants for Pollinators information sheet
Pollinator Information - Mick Finnemore

Details

Written by: Claire Jordan

Published: 20 February 2024

Our February event was a beautifully creative and thought provoking drama about the plight of the increasingly rare Grizzled Skipper butterfly, which is a 'Sensitive Indicator' of the effects of climate change. It was performed by Norwich artist Helen Wells, a moving celebration of this delicate creature which led to a thoughtful and interesting discussion.
As indicators of a healthy environment and ecosystem butterflies are highly sensitive to changes in climate, pollution levels and harmful chemicals in the air, they are also important parts of the food chain, being food for birds, bats and other animals that eat insects. They are excellent pollinators after bees and wasps.

Helen Wells brings the Grizzled Skipper to life. Photo: Ally Rae

The audience entranced. Photo: Ally Rae

The Grizzled Skipper Butterfly. Photo: Thanks to Alastair Rae, Creative Commons

Forncett Nature Matters present a beautifully creative and thought provoking 50 minute drama, with Q and As and refreshments to follow. devised and performed by Helen Wells. 

Details

Written by: Steering Group

Published: 06 February 2024

Some of us joined the Protest Walk in Forncett and we also had a stall at the gathering point - Forncett Village Hall - which attracted a lot of attention and we signed up some new supporters. I’ve just looked at the video of a plane’s-eye view of the route of proposed pylons from Diss to Norwich. 

These huge 50m pylons would make the the old pylons to the east look like toytown structures. Then there’s the vast amount of concrete that will be poured over our green spaces, and the disruption and damage caused during the four years of construction. The destruction of mature trees and hedges is inevitable.  As has been well researched by the brilliant main campaign group, there is a perfectly viable option of taking the cables offshore.

FNM is deeply concerned. The biodiversity around our village which is being encouraged by our community of nature lovers, gardeners and farmers, will be sorely threatened by this unwelcome proposal.

Simon Attwood, a Forncett biodiversity expert, has sent us the reports he’s compiled for the Pylons group.

Bee and Bat Man, Mick Finnemore, one of our ecologist supporters, has reported finding more rare and unusual bees in the village. One of the sites is near to ‘Forncett Aerodrome’ where there have also been several Red Listed bird sightings mentioned in previous newsletters. Exactly where pylons are due to be sited!

Find out more about the campaign to stop the Pylons at Pylons East Anglia and follow on Facebook

Details

Written by: Christina Wakeford

Published: 29 October 2023

 On a wet and windy November evening a beautifully decorated village hall welcomed everyone with atmospheric fairy lighting, cafe style seating, little tables scattered with scarlet Liquidambar leaves, conkers, pine cones and aromas of essential oils from Pine and Cedar. There were wall displays of multi coloured leaf prints and 'tree' poems, complimentary mulled wine/apple juice, delicious savouries and cakes. 

There was a most enjoyable selection of tree-themed folk songs performed by our talented and versatile musicians Jaki Alden & Pete Wilks who sang and played a variety of instruments including cello, banjo and flute.

Jaki Alden and Peter Wilks. Photo: Carol Sharp

 There were displays of Ogham (The Celtic Tree Alphabet), exquisite wood crafts to admire and some items to buy, as well as books to browse and native tree saplings to take home. A revisit to the 100 Trees for Forncett project from three years ago pictured a selection of people from the village with the trees they pledged to plant.

Helen Baczkowska talks about the importance of trees. Photo: Carol Sharp

 The main event of the evening was a brilliant and enlightening talk from Helen Baczkowska from Norfolk Wildlife Trust.  Helen’s talk informed us about the value of trees in ecosystems and the connectedness of trees, including very ancient trees and even stumps. She told us about the Fortingall Yew in Scotland, one of the oldest living beings in Europe, its age estimated as between 5,000-9000 years old, and how it has split into several stems as it dies back in the centre, reconfigured, but is still perfectly healthy. Like many Yews it is sited in a churchyard. However, these were sacred trees to people long before Christianity.

Part of the wood wide web. Photo: Carol Sharp

The Wood Wide Web

The fairy-tale forest has long been conjured as a magical place, and now we are finding that films like Avatar, where a Mother tree nurtures the whole forest, is not so fantastical. There is a network of tree communication underground, through their root systems, affectionately called the ‘wood wide web’. Very fine fungal strands called mycorrhiza connect the roots from one tree to another and the largest networks can extend out for several miles.

Rather than continually compete, trees pass nutrients and warning signals to each other - they actually support one another. Just like us they assist their own families first and foremost. Older trees send water to their own saplings in preference to other trees. Mother trees nurture their young.

But these fungal threads also link trees of different species. Forest ecologist Suzanne Simard’s now famous rigorous scientific experiments found that Douglas Fir trees were using the fungal web to trade nutrients with paper-bark birch trees. The evergreen species will tide over the deciduous one when it has sugars to spare, and then call in the debt later in the season. For the forest community, the value of this co-operative underground economy appears to be better over-all health, more total photosynthesis, and greater resilience in the face of disturbance.

The tree and the mycorrhizal fungi are a symbiotic system, working together to exchange nutrients. The fungi need carbon rich sugar from the tree and the tree needs the nutrients which the fungi has enzymes to reach,but the tree’s roots can’t.

The fungi link the trees together into a huge resource sharing community; trees, understory plants, fungi and microbes in a forest are so thoroughly connected, communicative and co-dependent that some scientists have described them as superorganisms. Simard says the forest behaves “as though it's a single organism.”

References

Suzanne Simard : Ted Talk

 February 2024

Details

Written by: Christina Wakeford and Carol Sharp

Published: 22 October 2023

We are very pleased to report the success of our first event exclusively for children. The morning’s activities were enjoyed by around thirty youngsters, accompanied by their carers.  The workshop was organised around the contribution of sculptor and wildlife enthusiast, Andy Jarrett. He brought a variety of live minibeasts such as garden snails and small aquatic creatures to observe, talk about and draw. Andy had a great rapport with the children who were completely absorbed.

Andy Jarrett has everyones attention. Photo: Carol Sharp

Some of our own FNM steering group (a handy mix of ex-teachers, artists and art therapists) provided a wonderful range of creative activities, from simple colouring and bee puppets on a stick to printing minibeasts with paint and potatoes. There was a great setup of ‘drawing’ a bee or butterfly on a polystyrene tile and using an inked roller and an old manual press to create a beautiful print. 

Magic of the mini-pond.  Photo: Carol Sharp

There was also the opportunity to make a dragonfly from a wonderful collection of natural materials. The finished models were given pride of place in the vegetation around the small raised tray pond that had been specially devised. An easy idea to recreate at home to encourage little ones to spot the wildlife that will arrive.

Mid-morning refreshments were kindly organised by a team of four of our supporters and families, and we are very grateful for their help and for all contributions of salad snacks, sandwiches and cakes.

Simple printing techniques produce great results.  Photo: Christina Wakeford

It was so rewarding to see the children’s engagement and enjoyment - some of them kept busy for over three hours. One mother of a six year old said her daughter was in insect heaven. It’s so important to help to enthuse young people about looking after the minibeasts that are so important for the biodiversity of the whole food chain.

The parents and grandparents present were appreciative of the event too, and we had some great emails afterwards to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. saying their children had been very inspired, and afterwards at least one child had gone straight out in to his garden to search for minibeasts and create a home for the dragonfly he had made. Another budding naturalist.

Join us for our nature loving children’s event. 'The Art of Mini-beasts' is a celebration of insects through creativity, led by artist Andy Jarrett.

Suitable for children of all ages. No need to book. Drop in and out any time between those hours. It’s free of charge and refreshments for children and carers will be provided. (Donations are always acceptable but not obligatory).

Outdoor creative activities will be provided by experienced leaders, but carers are responsible for their children’s well-being and safety. Providing an old shirt is a good idea to cover up children’s clothes for painting etc. If it’s hot please also bring sunscreen and a sun hat. We have a gazebo for shelter but if it’s very wet and windy or chilly we’ll be in the Village Hall.
We are still being vigilant about transmission of Covid 19 so if any member of your household has any symptoms please do not attend this event. Also, please note that no dogs are allowed on this occasion. Thank you.

Insect prints Photo: A Jarrett

Details

Written by: Christina Wakeford

Published: 07 July 2023

The weather was pretty much perfect as a group of 15 supporters gathered at the home of Ross & Audrey Joliffe. You’d never know this little pocket of paradise existed just a few hundred metres away while driving along the busy A140, but as you turn off towards Saxlingham Thorpe the river Tas runs parallel to Tasburgh road where this lovely couple live. They are lucky enough to have a few hundred metres of it winding along the boundary of their land.

Now one of the rarest of our native trees, the Black Poplar is an inhabitant of floodplains and wet ditches, and was once a common sight in the countryside. The huge tree he pointed out was grown from a cutting he took from some ancient pollards. They grow very fast and can become huge as they can live for 200 years.  During our visit Robert Maidstone found a rare purse gall – it’s the gall of the aphid Pemphigus borealis, found on Black poplar and poplar hybrids.

On the banks of the river Ross has strimmed the nettles, you can see on the other bank what it would be like, where even the sheep won’t approach the river. Another area where he found a pan shaped reedbed, he thought there was probably previously a pond. So he scythes it to stop saplings, creating a different habitat. We were surprised to see a native Daphne here and wild currants too.

 The river curves into a horseshoe bend at a place Ross calls Crayfish corner. He found a dead one in 2021 and called the Rivers Trust in to identify it and look for more.The River Tas is one of only a few rivers that are still home to our native white-clawed crayfish. They found a breeding population. Habitats can be improved with twigs in the river as freshwater crayfish like rotting timber. They are a marker of a clean river as they won’t survive where peoples’ cesspits and insecticides from fields seep into the water.White-clawed crayfish are very sensitive to pesticides, in particular, flea and tick treatments from dogs, horses, cows and sheep so keeping livestock and dogs out of the watercourse is crucial. The water looked very clear and fairly fast moving. Ross has a large chair placed for viewing the delightful otters that frequently appear. And a wildlife camera set up from which he has shot some wonderful footage of them. He said they come out of the river at that point and he reckons they take a shortcut across the bend in the river!

We could hear a woodpecker but were surprised to find that occasionally an Alder tree will fall taking a woodpecker’s nest with it. Ross showed us one that had fallen recently while the Joliffe grandchildren were staying. They were deeply saddened to see the dead chicks and gave them a little funeral. Audrey mentioned how they could see the nest was lined with horse hair, which they would have got from the nearby horse sanctuary, Redwings.

Enjoying refreshments after a wonderful visit. Photo Carol Sharp

 We wandered out of the cool woodland into the hot sun and had some refreshments and chat. It was a wonderful afternoon. Ross and Audrey are both passionate about wildlife and creating habitats for them to thrive and they are a shining example of how to manage land for biodiversity as well as creating a beautiful wild area for humans to enjoy.

May 2023

Details

Written by: Carol Sharp

Published: 19 June 2023

The sun shone warmly on the day a group of nearly 30 people gathered to enjoy the route and learn from local ecologist Simon Attwood. Simon arrived with a telescope and a mobile telephone which proved to be very useful.  The walk took us down past Forncett school through a lovely piece of land, luxuriant in flora, past the 'Site of Special Scientific Interest' where hazels are beautifully coppiced to offer rich sources of cover and food to birds and pollinators. From thence we went over a well maintained wooden pathway, set among, what is in summer, a profusion of reeds, (happy with the wet habitat), and wildflowers which in July and August are a magnet for darters, butterflies, dragonflies and countless pollinators.  Reaching the top of this path we turned left and shortly, through a gate, entered the Tas Valley Way:  here we walked along a wide ridgeway between a hedge on the right and a steep bank to the left dropping down to a water meadow.  In high summer the bank is studded with wild flowers.  Plants, happy in damp conditions, thrive here. This landscape is startlingly beautiful, a mosaic of habitat and flora, giving a richly changing colour scheme as the eye wanders across to the River Tas.

Simon Attwood, our local ecologist, helping everyone learn a bit more about a rich environment. Photo: Claire Jordan

 Simon gave helpful explanations and answered questions.  Every so often he would say "ah, that's a greenfinch", or a jackdaw, or yellowhammer. He told us about the various apps. we can install to help us identify sights and sounds of interest.  To demonstrate, he merely held his telephone aloft, and his app. called Merlin Bird ID, at once distinguished between the sounds of birdsong to tell us which birds were in our vicinity.  Identifying birdsong is a tricky business, and this piece of technology, certainly simplifies it. He also mentioned eBird, both are by Cornell Lab. He explained that 7 to 7.30 am is a more rewarding time to listen to and identify birdsong as at that time birds are far more active and noisy. After choosing suitable places, he set up his telescope and invited walkers to use it.  It took a tiny adjustment to make it suitable for individuals and the magnification was extraordinary. I was lucky enough to see a slender pale linnet, a musician of the birdworld, showing a pinkness around his breast, sitting among the boughs of a tree, probably resting while his mate sat on their eggs.

After crossing the farmyard, we traced the long line of the young hedge, planted by a group of willing Forncett volunteers during Covid. Our tree warden had secured the whips and trees and the farmer had made his land available and been very helpful.  The hedge was healthy and well grown and it was satisfying to reflect that every one of the hundreds of plants would be a food and shelter source for insects, birds and small mammals, so necessary amidst farmland.

Finally we turned opposite the village hall to cross open fields and the Tas.  At the hall, refreshments were waiting and Simon generously gave a talk, supported by clear slides about surveys and data collection, their importance and use in developing our understanding and knowledge and  how they need to be carefully planned with clear objectives.  I reflected that Simon would have been pleased by the clear and enthusiastic commitment of so many in Forncett, to do what we can, to support nature.  FNM hopes to encourage people to work collectively to this end.

Details

Written by: Claire Jordan

Published: 05 May 2023

Representatives of Forncett Nature Matters steering group and several of our supporters went to Poringland on 18th February for the Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s (NWT) conference to hear about the results of their ‘Wilder Connections’ project which focused on three areas in the South Norfolk Claylands (funded by the Green Recovery Challenge).  Ben Newton, Project Officer, outlined the scope of the project which included the restoration of ponds, hedges, copses, trees and associated margins and grasslands, the improvement of habitat connection for wildlife, and connecting people to nature through engaging communities and landowners.  These aims coincide with our own, and though Forncett was not in one of the three discrete areas, we have received lots of support from NWT, who also keep in touch with what we’re doing.
The morning was devoted mainly to contributions from farmers and landowners, and the afternoon to feedback from community groups.  There were so many brilliant and inspirational speakers that it’s difficult to cover the whole conference adequately. Hilary Hosea has written the report which follows, and I’ll add a bit more after that.

“One of the farmers who spoke to us was Nick Meade of the Earsham Estate, part of the Waveney Farming Cluster; the 39 farms in this group are involved in various types of regenerative farming and are trying to improve their land to benefit the biodiversity of plants and animals alongside their agricultural enterprises.  The Estate worked with the Norfolk Wildlife Trust as part of the Claylands initiative for 18 months to improve connectivity and habitat in the landscape.  There were new plantings of trees and hedges and the restoration of ponds. Nick said that across the whole estate there were 95 ponds some of which had been filled in. During the project six were recreated, some in the corners of fields, which made them easier to maintain and to fit in with farming activities.  Surveys of the pond wildlife were carried out by NWT volunteers, and the zones where Great Crested Newts survive were mapped so attempts to link their habitats could be made.  Some ponds were dredged, surrounding scrub taken out and trees pollarded to open up the watery space.  Some were modified by making shallow edges to benefit breeding frogs and newts. About eight ponds were made deeper to help maintain water and some had weed taken out such as Bog Bean which can become dominant.  The new Zealand Stonecrop that forms dense mats and excludes other species was removed by hand and will be monitored.  Buffer areas of rough grass were made around some ponds to enhance their potential as connected habitats for wildlife.” [Hilary Hosea]

The Earsham Hall Estate that Hilary mentions is also one of four farms which are working with volunteers to create links and corridors between them, with Earsham to the south and Old Hall Farm at Woodton to the north . This dairy farm (www.oldhallfarm.co.uk) is run by Stuart and Rebecca Mayhew and features in Sarah Langford’s wonderful book, ‘Rooted’ (1). The couple, who also farm regeneratively, have replanted many hedges and mob graze their animals, keeping calves at foot for much longer than most herds nowadays. They sell unpasteurised milk and have a farm shop and cafe which are well worth visiting. They also provided the conference attendees with a magnificent lunch which catered for all dietary needs.

Vic Long of Fir Grove Farm, Wreningham, told us about a wildflower meadow which became Norfolk’s Coronation Meadow. Find the story of its development here

Community members scything Photo: Thanks to NWT

‘Wild Norfolk for All’ is a new initiative by NWT which hopes to increase space for nature by 30% by 2030.  As Argus Hardy, a WildEast founder told us, this can be done without significantly affecting crop yields by planting hedges, creating habitat around footpaths, around field margins (Wild Stories - Wild Edges ) and restoring waterways and ponds.

Helen Baczkowska, Acting Head of Nature Recovery at NWT, told us what kinds of habitat would benefit a variety of creatures: sheltered dark woodland and crevices in tree bark for the rare Barbastelle Bat (of which we have a small number in Forncett) with nearby hedges along which to forage for the moths that feed on hedgerow wildflowers; one of the best habitats for Barn Owls is tussocky grassland where voles a-plenty make for easy snacking; and of course Norfolk’s Great Crested Newts need ponds linked by easily traversed habitat - they need to move from one to another.  Helen also recommended MAGIC maps

Patrick Barkham, natural history writer, President of NWT and Guardian journalist, opened his talk with the well known quote from E M Forster’s novel, Howard’s End: “Only connect.... live no more in fragments”. From NWT’s countywide reach of ‘Wilder Connections’ to Forncett Nature Matters’ more modest scope ‘connecting people : connecting nature,’ connectivity was at the heart of everyone’s message.  An interesting aspect of Patrick’s talk was that he felt our communities of South Norfolk (and of North Suffolk too) were enriched in the 1960s and 70s by the the influx of artists, writers, naturalists, self sufficiency seekers and a smattering of hippies. (He’s writing a biography of Roger Deakin, one of the best known settlers.) The Tree Fairs of Suffolk and Norfolk will be remembered by many, and I’m guessing that Patrick visited with his nature loving parents.  Many of these folk, now in their 70s and 80s, stayed on and are now well integrated, serving their communities, still passionate about environmental matters and active in campaigning for restoring wildlife balance. There were quite a few of us in the audience!

I had to leave the conference at this point, and the community group report that follows was written by Emily Syme, one of FNM’s supporters:

“A project that may interest FNM members is underway in Stoke Holy Cross.  The conference heard from a group of volunteers about Jubilee Meadow, a piece of land which had been given to the Parish Council by developers building housing nearby.  After consultation with villagers it was decided that the land would be used as a wildflower meadow, providing a refuge for wildlife and for the villagers themselves!  With the support of the NWT as part of the Claylands Project the volunteers have begun transforming the previously arable land. There is a mature hedge along one boundary, and more trees and hedging are being planted. Owl and other bird boxes have been donated and put up, and wildflower seeds sown. There are ‘untidy’ areas with log, stone, and grass piles to encourage and support insects, amphibians and small mammals.
The project is already connecting the village and will be a wonderful community resource. It is well worth looking at the beautifully drawn plan on their website which also has a wealth of useful information.” [Emily Syme].

In conclusion, the NWT team has been delighted with all the great initiatives that are taking place around the Claylands and, although the project finishes at the end of March, they will be continuing to work with landowners and communities in South Norfolk, which is good news for all of us nature lovers and brilliant for the wildlife. Thank you NWT for your sterling work and inspiration.

 February 2023

1  Rooted. Sarah Langford. 2022, Penguin Viking ISBN 978-0-241-50374-4

Details

Written by: Christina Wakeford

Published: 07 March 2023

February 21st Forncett Nature Matters members were able to join Alan Dawson’s lovely Zoom talk on how we can stop the terrible decline of the UK butterfly population.  Alan is a recorder of butterflies in Norfolk for Butterfly Conservation, a national organisation that is embarking on a campaign to halt the desperate loss of our butterflies and moths. They ask people to register their wild spaces where these beautiful insects can feed, breed and shelter, free from pesticides. A few choice plants in a pot can really help. School grounds, community woodland and village verges where butterfly food plants can grow are all vital areas of support and our gardens in countryside and town can provide vital nectar and caterpillar food plants.

 We also have in Norfolk, on heath-land such as Kelling, Buxton Heath and East Ruston Common, the Silver Studded Blue that has an extraordinary life-cycle. The male has bright blue wings, rimmed in black with white edges and silver spots on the hind wings, while the females have brown upper wings with orange spots on the hind wing. The female lays eggs only once a year between June and August in the vicinity of ants nests because her species has a mutual symbiotic relationship with two kinds of black ants. When the caterpillars hatch the ants transport them to their nests and farm them for the sugars they excrete. The ants keep the larvae clean and at a constant temperature and carry them out to feed on the leaves of Ling and Bell Heather, Gorse and Bird’s Foot Trefoil. This is done at dusk and the ants guard them against predators including other ants. The ants allow the caterpillars to pupate in their nest and take them out to the heath-land when they emerge.

The Painted Lady is a beautiful migrant from North Africa. When they arrive in the UK they choose thistles and Hemp Agrimony as food plants. They can be seen in August at Warham Camp, a Neolithic dwelling site in North Norfolk.  In high summer, if we are lucky, the immigrants from Europe, Peacocks and Red Admirals, arrive feeding on nettles and brambles. So if you want beautiful butterflies in your garden keep a patch of nettles.

Peacock Butterfly Photo: Carol Sharp

Our gardens can be havens and places of survival for butterflies. Planting Marjoram, Verbena bonariensis, perennial wallflowers, like Bowles Mauve, Buddlejas, of which there are a profusion of beautiful varieties, and Lavenders can help their survival by providing the nectar they need. The handsome ‘weeds’ including nettles, grasses and brambles, that Alan mentioned are vital food plants for the caterpillars. Sallows, Buckthorns, Holly and Ivy are important food plants too.

 Alan recommended a very user-friendly app - iRecord Butterflies  which is a really good way of improving your ID skills. You can send your sightings to Butterfly Conservation at any time, which is a helpful way of saying thank you to them for the valuable conservation work they’re doing. Your data will be added to their Norfolk map.

 Alan’s talk was recorded and you can enjoy it here

Alan says “My role on the committee of the Norfolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation is Transect Coordinator.  Transects are set routes, mainly on managed land, that are walked weekly from April to September, with the butterflies encountered being counted.  We have about 60 of these in Norfolk and they feed in to a national scheme that helps keep track of British butterfly numbers as well as what is happening in Norfolk.  One of the things I do is to analyse the results from the 50,000 or so butterflies that are counted in Norfolk in a year.”

Details

Written by: Hilary Hosea

Published: 12 February 2023

We were delighted with the turnout for our meeting on Friday 20 January 2023, 7pm, at Forncett Village Hall, in spite of the very cold, wet evening. Over fifty people from up and down the river and beyond, as well as a good number of Forncett folk, attended and enjoyed the inspiring presentations by our three speakers.

Tim Fisher of the Norfolk Rivers Trust gave the introductory talk, outlining the scope of the Trust’s work and his own role as Volunteer and Engagement Officer. As a result of the interest shown during the evening and the questions asked, Tim is going to work on a plan to visit the catchment and meet some of the people who have land bordering the river. He invited people to contact him to register their interest, ideas and observations, or to inquire about volunteering for the trust This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tim Fisher explains the work of the Norfolk Rivers Trust. Photo: C Sharp

Rodney Aldis, one of the campaigners for the Chet Valley B-Line, then told us about the concept of B-Lines, which were originally devised by Buglife to conserve and increase the dramatically declining numbers of our native pollinators. The aim was to create countrywide networks of wildflower-rich habitats as a food source for all insects. (This in turn supports insect-eating birds, bats, amphibians etc, and so on up the food chain.) Funded by a Water, Mills and Marshes grant, the Chet project took off. The Rivers Trust supplied funding for an area near the headwaters of the River Chet to be seeded with green hay. This is a method of transferring seed from an established native meadow to a newly prepared site in a nearby location, thus preserving local flora. For optimal effect a B-Line should contain ‘stepping stones’ of flower-rich habitat no more than 500m apart along the 3km wide pathways, which enables the insects to fly from one to another. The B-Lines are often situated in river valleys which form a continuous linear structure providing the essential migration, dispersal and genetic exchange of wild species. 

The Chet B-Line was the inspiration for Forncett Nature Matters’ interest in creating something similar along the River Tas catchment, in addition to our initial aim of encouraging wildlife corridors throughout our own village. We now have contacts and supporters along the twenty mile length of our river, one of whom, was our next speaker.

The health and biodiversity of our river was addressed by Ross Jolliffe, in his wonderfully illustrated talk about the Tas which borders his property. Wildlife of the water and riverbank were shown in Ross’s fine photos and video. A precious, rare, small colony of native White-clawed Crayfish has been discovered!  Countrywide, the survival of this species has been threatened by the invasive American Signal Crayfish; work at Banham and Bristol Zoos is being undertaken to breed our native crayfish for release into suitable areas.

There were brown trout, pike and chubb in an underwater film of the river, and Ross also showed us otters and water voles, as well as a variety of raptors, deer, and much bird life adjacent to the river. The four and a half acres were initially overgrown with willow and choked with a tangled, impenetrable under storey of nettles and brambles which needed cutting back to readmit light and encourage a wider range of flora. Nowadays the area is lightly and sympathetically managed, and winding paths are cut through the vegetation. The results of Ross’s strategy are brilliant for wildlife. You can watch Ross’s short video here

There was much animated discussion following the talks while people enjoyed homemade cake and a cuppa. New contacts were forged and plans for future activities made.

A very big thank you to all our participants. The speakers gave generously of their time and expertise and we are very grateful for their input and willingness to share their knowledge. Thank you to Norman Stevens for organising the tech side of things. It was also good to have on hand Helen Baczkowska of Norfolk Wildlife Trust who has supported us since FNM’s beginnings.

The Tas at Forncett. Photo: Penny Deegan

Details

Written by: Christina Wakeford

Published: 04 February 2023

RECENT EVENTS

 Ponds for Wildlife talk - Friday 16th September: This was a beautifully illustrated talk on all aspects of pond construction and planting, by Norman Stevens, showing the steps in making a pond and the wonderful wildlife that have thrived in and around it since.

Autumn Walk and Seed Swap - Saturday 29th October: By the time you read this we will have had our autumn walk, spotting berries and looking at places wildlife will be starting to nestle into for the colder weather. On return we shared seeds we have saved from wildlife friendly plants as well as some actual plants.  For pictures and full reports of all events please see our website under Nature Notes.

COMING EVENTS

Butterfly conservation talk  Tues 21st February: Zoom 7pm - 9.30pm: A talk given by the Norfolk Butterfly Conservation Trust about the decline of butterflies, the type of flowering plants and habitats they need and what we can do in our gardens to help them. With lots of lovely pics of butterflies of course.

WIDER CONNECTIONS

Norfolk Green Care Network: We are pleased to become members of Norfolk Green Care Network, who welcome all those who are interested or actively involved in fostering activities that in some way deliver ‘nature connection’ for people. We look forward to networking with some of the other groups across the county.

NWT Claylands Wilder Connections project: A couple more workshops left but lots of dates for volunteers to help with hedge planting across the county. Take a look here.

WHAT'S ABOUT

Autumn is the best time for planting trees. For smaller spaces a crabapple is an excellent choice,  its gorgeous spring blossom for the pollinating insects followed by decorative red, pink, orange or yellow fruits. Some are good for making crabapple jelly, with any fallen fruits for the birds; other varieties persist on the tree until the new year when they become soft and palatable for blackbirds.

Mahonia, with its sweetly scented yellow flowers from November to March, is a good evegreen shrub, loved by bees when they emerge on mild, sunny days in autumn or winter. It likes semi-shade best; winter flowering hellebores could be planted around it.

Small garden pond, ideal for wildlife. Photo: C Wakeford

If you haven’t got a pond for the wildlife to drink from and bathe in, you can provide a shallow container; keep it topped up with fresh water and ice-free in the winter.

Clematis cirrhosa is a lovely winter flowering climber for a sunny sheltered spot, and the scented shrubby winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) is ok in some shade. Both attract the bees. It’s not too late to add some sun-loving crocuses and grape-hyacinths which will flower in early spring ready for the bumble bees.

In October there were several village gardens displaying colourful specimens of Pyracantha, with their masses of yellow, orange or scarlet berries - a wonderful dense shrub which provides shelter, nesting potential and food for the birds, its white flowers in spring alive with beneficial insects. Small birds will roost safely within. You can also get little straw roosting ‘pockets’ online or at a garden centre. It’s amazing how many wrens will snuggle together in them to stay alive in freezing weather.

If you haven’t done so already, consider leaving a sheltered and undisturbed corner of your garden as a wildlife haven. Leave the grass long, add fallen leaves and sticks tucked under a hedge or shrub, and a pile of stones and logs; if you ‘plant’ some of the logs upright in the ground you’ll almost certainly get lesser stag beetles as the cut edges rot, and if you’re really lucky, perhaps a greater stag beetle.

Hedgehogs need to weigh 600g to hibernate successfully. Photo: Jesmond Dene, Creative Commons

Our hedgehogs will be looking for a safe, dry place to hibernate when the weather turns cold. To survive hibernation they ideally need to be 600g+ in weight, so if you find a small one, please call our local Charlie’s Hedgehog Helpline 07835 498970 to be directed to your nearest rescuer.

Details

Written by: Christina Wakeford

Published: 31 October 2022

The weather was unseasonably warm for our October ramble, when a convivial group of us enjoyed looking out for the colourful leaves, fruits and berries of the season. Between us we were able to identify everything.

Autumn colours during the walk.Photo: C Sharp

 There were also lots of field mushrooms on the grassy track - the warm damp weather being perfect for them. The most dramatic leaves were those of a garden ‘Smoke Bush’ ( Cotinus coggygria), glowing fiery red, overhanging Cheyney’s Lane. The wild shrubs and trees were mostly more subtle shades of gold and yellow,  and were decorated with rose hips as well as some very late blackberries. Country lore has it that the Devil spits on the blackberries at Michaelmas, so after that you eat them at your own risk!

Masses of shared seeds to choose from. Photo A Rae

 We returned to the Village Hall for tea and homemade cake, and then swapped seeds which had been collected and donated by several supporters - thank you to them. The seeds were wild and garden varieties, all good for pollinating insects, and included some bags of mixed seed from a thriving wildflower meadow. We’ll look forward to seeing them growing in our gardens next year.

Details

Written by: Christina Wakeford

Published: 31 October 2022

On Friday evening 16th September, supporters of Forncett Nature Matters were treated to a wonderful presentation by Norman Stevens on the subject of Ponds for Wildlife.

 Norman's pond, looking very well established. Photo: N Stevens

Norman had previously had a small preformed pond in a compact garden in Buckinghamshire and was enchanted by the variety of invertebrates, amphibians and birds it attracted. When he and Ann moved to their much bigger garden in Forncett Norman was determined to make a much larger wildlife pond, and they settled on a position in an informal part of the garden that could be seen from their windows.  Norman took us through the construction process of digging out to make different planting levels to suit a large variety of native species, then laying the protective liners, and finishing with a strong, waterproof butyl sheet. A pebbled area ensured an escape route (essential for adventurous hedgehogs), and is also used as a shallow bathing and drinking space for birds and other wildlife.  The most exciting part was filling the pond, planting it up, and establishing plants for pollinating insects around the pond - helped out by his young grandsons.   Once the water is in it’s always surprising how quickly the wildlife arrives, and before long the pond and its environs were alive with hopping, swimming, fluttering and buzzing creatures.

Norman illustrated the talk with many beautiful photos which showed how the pond developed over a few years, with examples from each season.  Norman’s main message for us was that a source of water, whatever its size,  is the very best thing you can provide for wildlife diversity, and watching its residents and visitors will give you endless pleasure.

Thank you, Norman, for an inspiring evening and for answering the many questions in the lively discussion that followed.

To watch a similar pond and a wildflower meadow being made, tune into ‘The Wild Gardener’ on BBC i Player

Details

Written by: Christina Wakeford

Published: 29 September 2022

RECENT EVENTS

Jubilee Celebrations Day - 4th June

We had a stall at this lively village event where we signedup eight more households, including young ornithologist Oscar’sfamily, bringing our number of biodiverse gardens to 55.Ourgiant Forncett map, where Supporters’ patches are marked, always attracts attention. Please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you want to have your own wildlife-friendly garden mapped. We want to sign up more small patches, so if you have a small garden (or are a beginner) this excellent video from Ellie’s Wellies will get you inspired.  Size doesn’t matter to wildlife!

Pollinator Plant Swap - 20th May

This evening was popular; a wide variety of plants for all insects were donated for exchange or sale, and the four speakers kept to their brief of an interesting five to tenminutetalk. You can read some of the detail here.

St Peter’s Churchyard Plant Survey - 9th July

At St Peter’s on a hot afternoon thirteen of us recorded wildflowers in the churchyard. A total of 50 plants, including trees and grasses were identified. The close-mown areas were parched and yielded 13 flowers but we saw more in the hedge bottoms and longer grassy areas. Comparisons with last year’s forty species are unscientific as we’d surveyed a month earlier under a more favourable mowing regime looking only at flowering plants. Afterwards we enjoyed cold drinks and cake, shared with a woodmouse under the magnificent spreading oak tree.

 MAKING CONNECTIONS

The Wildpatch Open Gardens around Surlingham and Rocklands St Mary were inspirational and it was heartening to meet so many people dedicated to our joint cause: improving biodiversity. The range of wildlife friendly gardens proved very beautiful and productive as well as good for Planet Earth.

Several of us have attended the excellent, free, Norfolk Wildlife Trust Wilder Connections workshops where in-depth information is shared by experts. Ongoing until autumn, it’s worthwhile looking at their programme of events.

We are delighted to report that the Eco play for children at Black Barn was well attended and enjoyed by all on a perfect June day. Full report on page 14 of the August issue of the Forncett Flyer.

WHAT’S ABOUT: Butterflies, Moths and More.

I had the good fortune to see Norfolk’s glorious Swallowtail butterflies on a trip to Hickling Broad in July; good place for bird life too. My companion introduced me to Cornell’s Merlin Birds UK (free app). Birdsongs are identified. Highly recommended!

The golden flowers of common ragwort are a valuable source of nectar and pollen for a huge variety of hoverflies, bees and butterflies etc. Ragwort leaves are also the food of the Cinnabar caterpillar, larva of the dramatic red and black Cinnabar moth. These unmistakeable gold and black stripy caterpillars are distasteful to birds, and according to Plantlife the cuckoo is the only bird that can eat them!  Though this plant is usually avoided by grazing livestock, dried ragwort in hay is dangerous, and official advice is to remove it from pastures and hay meadows. A sensible compromise for gardeners: if your wildpatch is situated away from these areas, leave some plants so you can encourage and watch the Cinnabar lifecycle. I allow a few plants where feasting caterpillars strip the leaves before pupating underground in September, to emerge as beautiful moths the following May.

For information about best plants for butterflies see https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions-how-attract-butterflies-your-garden

We’re always keen to know about interesting wildlife that readers have spotted locally, so do let us know using our This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.and we'll post them on the website.

Details

Written by: Christina Wakeford

Published: 10 August 2022

We love to hear what our supporters are seeing out and about in Forncett.  If you have something you'd like to share here please tell us via our This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

August 2022

The Wildflower Meadow is cut and the hay stacked before the heavens open!

 A job well done. Photo: C Wakeford

Kenny Sutton has been helping out several small-meadow owners in Forncett on his blue Fordson Dexter and his red International McCormack tractors. He is currently restoring a red Massey Ferguson 135, an even smaller and more powerful machine.  As more people want to manage their bit of land for biodiversity, they often need a machine between the size of a ride-on mower and a big farm tractor when it comes to cutting in late summer. That is, if scything isn’t an option. The volunteers helping to cut the more inaccessible conservation area at St Peter’s churchyard did some of the work with scythes. All power to their elbow - and their midriffs!

There have been several sightings of Hummingbird Hawk-moths around the village this summer. They feed on a wide variety of nectar bearing flowers and because of their super-long proboscis they can reach deep inside their chosen flower. They are quite exotic in appearance, and as their name suggests, they hover and dart at great speed. This makes them difficult to photograph or video, because they move so fast! So we’ve also included a beautifully detailed photo  by Ian Lindsay from Pixabay

 Look out for Ivy Bees  at this time of year.

 26th August Ivy Bees in Forncett. Photo C Wakeford

First recorded in the UK in Dorset in 2001, this solitary bee has gradually spread northwards and eastwards. In late summer, newly emerged from their tunnels, they may be seen in gently humming clusters, busily gathering pollen and nectar on flowering ivy plants. They are active from late August until late October here in Norfolk.  The males are 1cm in length and the females slightly longer. They have dense orangey fur on the head and thorax, with distinct black and yellow stripes on the abdomen. Please don’t trim ivy while it is flowering. It is the only food source for this little bee, and it also supports a great variety of other pollinating insects. And of course if you can allow your ivy to form berries it provides valuable food for birds in winter. 

July 2022

Large-headed  Resin Bee:  Bee and bat man, Mick Finnemore, got in touch with us about another small bee for us to look out for. It’s not as rare as the Shrill Carder which he talked about at our Pollinator Plant Swap meeting, but nevertheless an unusual and interesting one.  

Large-headed Resin Bee. Photo: T. Finnemore

 It’s the Large-headed  Resin Bee (Heriades truncorm) which he spotted initially on Oxeye Daisies, and then later on yellow Fleabane, a fairly abundant wild plant around here at the height of summer.  Mick says, “It has a curious bobbing motion as it picks up pollen on its pollen brush under the abdomen.” This characteristic movement helps to identify the species.

Ragwort: The golden flowers of common ragwort are a valuable source of nectar and pollen for a huge variety of hoverflies, bees and butterflies etc. Ragwort is also the main food of the Cinnabar caterpillar, larva of the dramatic red and black Cinnabar moth. These unmistakeable gold and black stripy caterpillars are distasteful to birds, and according to Plantlife the cuckoo is the only bird that can eat them!

Cinnabar Catapillars feeding on ragwort. Photo: C Wakeford

Though this plant is usually avoided by grazing livestock, dried ragwort is dangerous, and official advice is to remove it from pastures and hay meadows. A sensible compromise for gardeners (if your wildpatch is situated away from these areas) is to leave a few plants so you can encourage and watch the Cinnabar lifecycle. The caterpillars, working from bottom to top, will completely strip the leaves and eat the flowers too, but you may like to remove any remaining flowers before they go to seed (wear gloves to handle ragwort). Cinnabar caterpillars will also eat groundsel. These dramatically coloured invertebrates pupate underground in September, to emerge as beautiful moths the following May.   

Cinnabar Moth. Photo Charles J. Sharp - Own work, from Sharp Photography, sharpphotography, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42036616

Buff Tip Moth: One of our supporters sent us photos he’d taken of the brilliantly camouflaged buff tip moth (Phalera bucephela). They look just like short thick birch twigs, and although fairly common, they are tricky to spot. Mainly silvery grey, they have a square cut buffy head and a buff patch at the end of the wings, which gives them their common name. This photo is of a mating pair.

A pair of Buff Tip Moths Photo: K Sutton

Purple Loosestrife and yellow Fleabane in abundance around Supporters’ Tony and Rachel Calver’s beautiful wildlife pond.

The beauty of a large wildlife pond Photo: C Wakeford

The pond is inhabited by the Forncett edible frogs, that sound like quacking ducks in the breeding season! Read about them here.  But size doesn’t matter. Here’s an example of a more formal, newly constructed and planted small pond for wildlife. Within weeks, great crested newts had moved in. Tip: for the smaller pond choose the less vigorous native plants - many species will completely take over!

Small, but full of life. Photo: C Wakeford

And remember to include shallower areas at the edge for bathing birds, and escape routes for inquisitive hedgehogs. 

For more information about ponds for wildlife how about coming to our meeting on 16th September 2022?  Details in Coming Events.

Details

Written by: Christina Wakeford

Published: 03 August 2022

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 Rae

In 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 Rae

May 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 Rae

 They 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.

Details

Written by: Christina Wakeford

Published: 20 June 2022

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 Wakeford

 We 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 - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - and we’ll put you in touch. The cover photo of this article is a Shrill Carder Bee, thanks to Ivar Leidus - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42916944

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.

Details

Written by: Ally Rae

Published: 20 June 2022

Spring Hedgerow Walk 2^nd 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 20^th 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 4^th 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 12^th 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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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

Details

Written by: Carol Sharp

Published: 19 June 2022

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 Sharp

 Next, 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! 

Details

Written by: Judy Thomas

Published: 20 March 2022

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.

Details

Written by: Jo Marsden

Published: 19 March 2022

Just wanted to let you know that you've inspired us to make our own dead hedge. My husband trimmed our ash tree the other day, and I said, "we should make a dead hedge," so he did!  We're quite happy with the result, and we think the frogs and insects will love it too!

The new dead hedge Photo: Joanne Dewhurst

Thanks for the idea 

Joanne and Ben Dewhurst

Take a look at our article on Dead Hedges

In the beginning...Photo: A Rae

 The finished dead hedge  Photo: Ally Rae

Details

Written by: Ally Rae

Published: 15 March 2022

 

It would also be great if any of you could look around your garden and bring something of winter interest beneficial to wildlife, to share or ask about. An early flower? Some berries? Whatever takes your fancy.  Or bring any question that someone might be able to answer for you. Or something to identify.  Remember we have a few experts and specialists as supporters. 

 

Also, suggestions about subjects and activities we could cover in future would be well received.

 

Village Hall Covid protocol will be observed so please bring your mask.

Light refreshments provided.

Entry is free, though if you are able to make a small cash donation to help us cover the cost of hall hire it will be gratefully received.

Details

Written by: Christina Wakeford

Published: 19 January 2022