Norfolk’s two chalk rivers: Restored, revitalised, resilient

Written by Georgia Waye-Barker, Evidence and Engagement Coordinator at Norfolk Rivers Trust

The Norfolk’s Two Chalk Rivers project is delivering crucial ecological restoration for two globally-rare chalk-fed rivers, the Stiffkey and Hun, as well as providing some great opportunities to explore, marvel and connect with the natural world.

Here in Norfolk, we’re incredibly fortunate to be home to over a dozen chalk rivers, with only 210 worldwide. When in good health, these rare habitats are global treasures; they provide unique conditions for wildlife such as water vole and white-clawed crayfish to thrive. When in poor health, their natural qualities decline, and this has a knock-on impact to the wildlife they can support.

The Hun and Stiffkey are two chalk rivers found in Norfolk. The River Hun is just 6 km in length, flowing from its source in Hunstanton Park to its mouth at Holme Dune National Nature Reserve (NNR). The Stiffkey is a longer river, flowing for about 29 km through farmland and villages (including Walsingham, Langham and Wighton) before discharging into the sea at Blakeney. Sadly, both rivers have been degraded through historic channel modification, habitat fragmentation and pollution.

The project

‘Norfolk’s Two Chalk Rivers’ is a collaborative project between the Norfolk Coast Partnership and Norfolk Rivers Trust. It aims to reverse river health decline through implementing naturebased solutions – in other words, creating wetlands and ponds, re-meandering rivers and reconnecting floodplains. This groundwork will not only improve habitat connectivity and complexity, but will also improve water quality, biodiversity, and boost climate change resilience.

Groundwork delivery

Since its launch in summer 2021, both organisations have been kept busy.

Norfolk Rivers Trust is leading the capital works and has so far completed the following:

• Fenland restoration near Saxlingham

Ponds, wetlands and river berms have been installed to create a mosaic of wet habitat. Woody debris and sediment traps have been installed within ditches to intercept surface run-off from surrounding fields, thus improving downstream water quality.

• Wet woodland and wetland creation near Barney

A series of interconnected wetlands have been dug at natural low points within a field to filter water and create a diverse habitat. Drainage ditches have been blocked to create a wet marshy area where natural regeneration will occur. In time, this will form a species-rich wet woodland.

• Integrated Constructed Wetland creation at Langham

A new Integrated Constructed Wetland (ICW) has been created to naturally ‘polish’ treated effluent outflow from Langham Water Recycling Centre (WRC). This sustainable, low-carbon approach will improve the quality of water entering Binham stream.

• Binham stream restoration at Langham

A 700m stretch of heavily modified channel has been restored to its natural, meandering state at Langham. The channel has been reconnected to the floodplain, providing it with the space it needs to mitigate the risk of high flows downstream.

Ant Gagen, North Norfolk Catchments Team Leader at Norfolk Rivers Trust, said: “We’ve delivered a huge amount in a short space of time. From wetland and pond creation to in-channel works and new stretches of meandering river.” Working with stakeholders, farmers and landowners across both river catchments has been fundamental in making the project a success, and as Ant describes, there is still more to come: “Before the project completes, we’re installing another integrated constructed wetland at Stiffkey WRC to improve water quality, we’re establishing wet habitat in the form of scrapes and pools along the River Hun, and we’re also creating a long stretch – approximately 2 km - of new morphologically-diverse river channel between Warham and Wighton.”

Community engagement

The Norfolk Coast Partnership is overseeing the other key element of Norfolk’s Two Chalk Rivers: connecting people of all ages, backgrounds, and interests with their local natural environment by providing new and exciting experiences.

Improving access to local rivers is a crucial step in this and as such, a series of walks have been held along the Hun and Stiffkey to explore the locations earmarked for restoration.

Employment has been another positive outcome of the project. Mel Gillings, Protected Landscape Team Leader for Norfolk Coast Partnership, explains: “We’ve been able to provide two Kickstart Scheme positions to help deliver the project. These were six-month paid placements specifically aimed at younger people.”

In addition, the Norfolk Wildlife Trust held a series of free workshops to discover river wildlife and learn how to evaluate river health. Topics included dragonfly identification, use of photography as a recording tool, riverfly surveying to assess water quality and techniques for determining habitat condition.

Green Recovery Challenge Fund

This project is funded by a £885,400 Green Recovery Challenge Fund (GRCF) grant developed by Defra and its Arm’sLength Bodies. It has been delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England, the Environment Agency and Forestry Commission. Additional match funding has been received for some of the groundwork.