Strumpshaw Fen nature reserve in Norfolk’s Broads is celebrating its 50th anniversary after decades of protecting some of the region’s most endangered wildlife.
Located in the Norfolk Broads, Strumpshaw Fen covers 450 hectares (1,112 acres) of diverse wetland habitat—an area roughly equivalent to 630 football pitches.
Reserve manager Helen Deavin said Strumpshaw Fen is home to a variety of “rare and unusual species”, including nesting bitterns, swallowtail butterflies and a pair of cranes that successfully raised a chick this summer.
“One of the great things about Strumpshaw is the easy access to wildlife,” Deavin said, describing the Norfolk nature reserve as a “hidden gem”.
Visitors to Strumpshaw Fen can regularly spot hedgehogs, bearded tits, flocks of sandpipers, wintering ducks and geese, otters, water voles, fen raft spiders, orchids and rare sharp-leaved aquatic plants.
“We have this incredible, really very rare wildlife, but it’s actually really possible for people to see it, enjoy amazing views and experience the magic of the Broads,” Deavin added.
“By developing habitats where wild animals can feel safe, find suitable food and space, take refuge and raise their families, our team has created protected areas that help populations of rare species not only survive, but thrive.”
Deavin said the summer heatwave had been “severe”, but the reserve was preparing for flooding and seasonal tidal “saline waters”. The team was also looking forward to a cooler, more humid autumn.
To mark its 50th anniversary, Strumpshaw Fen is hosting a range of events, including a guided walk around the reserve on Sunday.
The nature reserve began as unmanaged pasture before being taken over by the RSPB in the mid-1970s.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk