PeoplePower

For all the projects described below, plus the countless other projects that are taking place across the county, nothing could be achieved without the willingness of volunteers. The time and effort – and good humour – of the army of volunteers who immerse themselves in these projects really does provide people power to the Resilient Coast project.

The Resilient Coast project and other projects across England are funded by the Government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund (GRCF). The fund has been developed by the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and its arm’s-length bodies. It is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England, the Environment Agency, and Forestry Commission.

The focus is on amphibians in the to help toads, frogs and newts safely are killed in their masses as they cross the

The focus is on amphibians in the lovely village of Cley-next-the-Sea. A community group of around 20 volunteers has been set up in Cley to help toads, frogs and newts safely cross the coast road to access the salt marshes to breed.

Typically, thousands of toads migrate each year during February and March and are killed in their masses as they cross the busy coast road. The aim of the group is to safely transport toads, frogs and newts across both the coast road and the road to Glandford from Cley.

Gemma Harrison is clerk to Cley Parish Council. She explains how the project works: ‘A Toad Watch Group has been set up in Cley to help safely move toads, frogs and newts across the busy Coast Road.

‘During breeding season many toads lose their lives migrating from the fields to the marshes to breed. A team of 24 volunteers patrol the coast road and Glandford Road picking up any toads as they go. The big migration has yet to happen, but as soon as the weather gets warmer it is thought hundreds of toads will attempt to make their journey to find water to breed in.

‘The Toad Group was set up with funding from the Coastal Resilience Grant. The Parish Council were able to purchase toad warning signs for the road, plus head torches and hi-vis jackets for the volunteers. Without this essential equipment, the Toad Watch would not have been possible. It is hoped the volunteers will be able to do their bit to help create a thriving toad population in Cley.’

Across the UK, the toad population is rapidly declining due to loss of habitat and disease, so communities are being urged to play their part in doing what they can to ensure as many as possible can safely breed.

The Toad Group watch team at Cley are leading the way in providing safe passage to the travelling amphibians.

Norfolk Ponds Project (NPP) Pit Stop is a pilot for a citizen science project using a ‘strawman approach’. This refers to the collection and collation of continued feedback from volunteers during the research and design phase. The Norfolk Coast AONB provides the test area for the project.

This approach is being used to test the on-theground application of pond status monitoring by the general public, building on projects such as the BES Great Twin Pond Dig and the Norfolk Ponds BIG 50.

Firstly, it will identify ponds still present, as well as lost or ‘ghost ponds’ suitable for restoration in the AONB. Then, links will be created to support landowners in achieving this with support from the NPP in the future.

Secondly, the main output from the project will be the production of a final application for continued mapping – or habitat assessment –of the ponds in the AONB, with the potential to increase the geographic coverage.

At the end of the project an initial map will be produced from the volunteer efforts for the AONB. This has the potential to be used as a baseline for repeated surveys over time to help monitor the status of the ponds.

Thirdly, the project will galvanise volunteer action on ponds in North Norfolk, a community which has the potential to become a resource in the future for on the ground management and restoration of ponds.

Lead Contact: Helen Greaves, Strategic Lead for Norfolk Ponds Project, helen.greaves@ucl.ac.uk