At a time when drought and wildfires are putting wildlife and habitats across East Anglia under increasing pressure, two Norfolk conservationists have been honoured for their contribution to protecting the natural world.
Carl Chapman and Alice Liddle have both received the Sydney Long Memorial Medal, awarded every two years by Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT) and the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists’ Society (NNNS) for an outstanding contribution to the county’s natural history.
Normally awarded to a single recipient, two winners were chosen this year as Norfolk Wildlife Trust celebrates its centenary.
Sharing a passion for wildlife
Chapman is a former chair and long-standing council member of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists’ Society. Much of his contribution has involved sharing his knowledge with others through wildlife tours, publications and his work with conservation organisations.
He established and continues to head the society’s Liaison Committee, which helps wildlife organisations across Norfolk work together.
More recently, Chapman became a county recorder for cetaceans. In 2025, he published Whales and Whaling in Norfolk, documenting sightings of whales, dolphins and porpoises around the county dating back to 1255.
Former NNNS chair Tony Leech said Chapman had combined “two passions, wildlife and educating people about it”, adding that he had worked for decades to bring Norfolk’s wildlife organisations together.
On receiving the award, Chapman said the presentation had been “far from expected or even considered”.
Decades of voluntary conservation work
Liddle’s award recognises her long-standing voluntary work with Norfolk Wildlife Trust. She served as a trustee for nine years, including six years as chair, and is now one of the charity’s vice-presidents.
She continues to provide legal assistance and support to the trust.
NWT chief executive Eliot Lyne said Liddle had led the organisation through a period marked by the “growing reality of our climate and biodiversity crisis” as well as the Covid pandemic.
“With her support, we reach our centenary in rude health and with growing ambition to tackle the significant challenges Norfolk’s nature faces,” he said.
Liddle said she was “thrilled and humbled” to receive the medal and proud of what she had helped achieve for Norfolk’s wildlife and people.
A century of protecting Norfolk’s wildlife
The award commemorates Dr Sydney Long, who founded the Norfolk Naturalists Trust in 1926. The organisation later became Norfolk Wildlife Trust and now looks after more than 60 nature reserves across the county.
A century after Long established the trust, the anniversary comes during a difficult summer for wildlife across the region, as prolonged dry conditions have left habitats parched and increased the risk of wildfires.
The awards offer a timely reminder that protecting the natural environment depends not only on organisations and policies, but on people willing to devote years of their lives to understanding it, sharing that knowledge and helping to preserve it.
This article is based on a press release from Norfolk Wildlife Trust, compiled with assistance from AI tools and edited by East Anglia Bylines.
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