Celebrate World Wetlands Day with walks in the Broads
What better way to celebrate World Wetlands Day than by savouring the beauty of our own special wetland – The Broads?
On Wednesday 2nd February the Broads Authority is offering a choice of two special guided tours to important wetland areas in the Broads to celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the International Convention on Wetlands. The intergovernmental treaty was signed in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar and is know as the Ramsar Convention. Large areas of the Broads – Britain’s largest protected wetland - are covered by this important conservation designation, including parts of the Ant and Thurne river valleys, the Bure marshes, Breydon Water and the mid-Yare marshes.
Take a tour of Stanley Carrs Nature Reserve near Beccles, a rare example of carr woodland regularly washed by the high tide. This scarce habitat has reverted from grazing marshes to a mysterious tangle of wet woodland. Stanley Carr is important for many rare species including otters, water voles and Cetti’s warblers. A Broads Authority ranger will be leading a guided marsh walk between 9.30am and 12 noon and will be explaining more about the fascinating history and management of the site. Advance booking is necessary as car parking is limited.
Or choose to visit beautiful Hickling Broad nature reserve, owned and managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust on the River Thurne, an important Ramsar site which provides an essential wintering ground for thousands of wildfowl. Join a Broads Authority ranger and the NWT site manager between 10.30am and 12 noon to explore this area on a circular walk, find out how the reserve is managed and see some of the winter wildlife. No booking is needed for this walk, which will start from the Hickling Broad Visitor Centre.
Participants on both walks will be asked to make a £2 donation to a wildlife charity. For full details of and to book telephone 01603 610734. Come equipped for the outdoors with warm, waterproof clothing, and, as these are marshland walks, wellies are essential!
For more information please contact Rachael Miller, events Ranger on 01603 756044 or 07876 355647.
27/01/2005
