The Broads with enchanted waterways meeting endless skies is East Anglia’s only national park. It is Britain’s largest protected wetland. Spanning parts of Norfolk and Suffolk it is easily reachable and offers the ideal place to recharge the soul. There are nature reserves to visit, boats to hire, and paths to walk off the excesses of Christmas.
The Broads are man-made. Medieval digging of peat for fuel created a network of ditches. These flooded in the 14th century creating the beautiful waterways of today. There are seven rivers and over 60 broads ranging from small pools to vast expanses of water. Within its boundary are 25 conservation areas, 14 ancient monuments and 270 listed buildings. There are pubs and eateries overlooking the waterways or close by. Wild water swimmers may be found dipping in some areas, paddle boarders in others. Cyclists and ramblers can enjoy the endless riverside paths and explore the quiet country lanes.
No matter where you are, nature and wildlife will surround you.
Nature on offer
In winter the marshes are brimming with flocks of bearded tits repeating their ‘pinging’ call through the reeds, and huge skeins of noisy wild geese flying to feeding or roosting grounds. If you are lucky you may catch sight of a darting kingfisher, shy Chinese water deer or an otter. Near Hickling Broad the UK’s tallest bird the common crane (Grus Grus), recognisable with its ruffle of tail feathers, very long legs and ‘bugling’ call may put in an appearance. Just listening to birdsong is therapeutic.
More common and seen all year around are heron standing patiently at the water’s edge, fishing, cormorants drying their outstretched wings, various waterfowl, swans with their cygnets gradually losing their grey ‘ugly duckling’ plumage and marsh harriers flying overhead.
The Broads is home to some rare creatures, though not to be seen in winter. There’s the red listed Norfolk Hawker dragonfly (Aeshna isoceles) with bright green eyes and a gingery body. The native and very beautiful swallowtail butterfly (Papilio machaon) which is only found in the Norfolk Broads. And the water vole, similar-looking to the brown rat, but with a blunt nose, small ears and furry tail, whose numbers were decimated by invasive American mink predation.
Sadly the Broads Authority has reported a loss of species at a rate of six per decade for the last half a century.
Impact of climate change
The easterly, low-lying and coastal nature of the Broads landscape makes it particularly vulnerable to climate change and sea level rise, including coastal and river flooding. This compromises habitats. With greater frequency and intensity of storms comes an increase in the risk of sewage runoff into the Broads. These multiple stressors threaten the survival of some plants and animals. As a result the Broads Authority recently declared a Biodiversity Emergency to raise public and political awareness.
“Time is running out and we need immediate action,” says Andrea Kelly, Broads Authority, Environment Policy Adviser. “This declaration sets out how we can start to reverse species decline so that people and wildlife can become resilient in facing climate change.”
Butterfly Conservation declared a national “butterfly emergency” in September after the lowest Big Butterfly Count since records began. East Anglia Bylines has reported BugLife’s concerns on declining insect numbers. The British Dragonfly Society is concerned that ponds, streams, and rivers are under threat of future drought – dragonflies need wetlands to survive.
Swallowtails are very sensitive to annual environmental changes. The species has suffered its worst summer since records began and numbers are expected to decline further due to prolonged winter flooding. Adults feed on thistles and ragged-robin, but its caterpillar feeds solely on milk-parsley (Peucedanum palustre), a plant that grows in shallow water and is vulnerable to water level changes.
“By far the largest threat is the impact of climate change upon milk parsley – its preferred food source and where it lays its larvae,” says Broads Authority Ecologist Hannah Southon. “Other threats include habitat loss and fragmentation, pupa predation by released game birds and the fungal pathogen diaporthe, which has caused milk parsley die-back in previous years.”
Helping biodiversity
The Broads Authority are taking action. They are working with communities in the Broads catchment area helping them to adapt to changing climates, to lessen negative impacts and exploit the positives to develop new income streams.
The key is better water management so that the land retains water in the floodplains during winter (without increasing flooding) and is also available for nature in the summer months. The Broads store vast amounts of carbon, locked up in its wet fen and reed beds. When deep peat soils are drained for agriculture, greenhouse gases are released. Working with farmers on a peatland restoration initiative will restore healthy peatlands that support carbon storage, water filtration, flood prevention, habitats for wildlife, and greater biodiversity.
Survival of the Broads relies on an interconnected relationship between people and nature. From the reed cutters, grazing ponies and farmers, through to rare dragonflies, birds and aquatic flora and fauna. All life in the Broads National Park is deeply intertwined and, for the moment, there for us to enjoy.
So give yourself a gift this Christmas season with a visit to the Broads. It’ll be one you cherish.
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