Space for nature to recover and grow

We're making more space for nature to recover and grow in Norfolk.

Nature recovery means restoring, enhancing, or protecting natural habitats, ecosystems and biodiversity. It's an essential part of addressing climate change because healthy ecosystems absorb and store more carbon from the atmosphere. 

Making more space for nature will also improve Norfolk's resilience to climate change by helping us to:

Reduce flooding
Maintain healthy soils, clean air and water
Sustain food production

Working in partnership

Together with our partners, we're leading work to protect biodiversity and support nature recovery across Norfolk. We are doing this though:

Norfolk and Suffolk Nature Recovery Partnership

We're part of the Norfolk and Suffolk Nature Recovery Partnership. The Nature Recovery Partnership is currently supporting the development of Norfolk's Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS). The LNRS aims to reverse the loss of wildlife and habitats in Norfolk by:

Mapping the existing important areas for nature
Identifying and mapping the best locations and opportunities for nature recovery
Prioritising key species and habitats for recovery
Planning where and how to create new and connect existing habitats

Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership

We are also part of the Steering Group for the Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership (NBP). The NBP is organising the Norfolk Community Biodiversity Awards and the Biodiversity Fair, which mark an annual celebration of the outstanding efforts of local communities and volunteers who play an active role in protecting and enhancing biodiversity across Norfolk.

Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service

The Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service (NBIS) holds environmental data for Norfolk, including records on the animals and plants found here as well as information about wildlife and geological sites.

We use this data to provide biodiversity information for a range of people and organisations, such as local authorities, developers, ecological consultants, planners, government agencies, conservation bodies and the general public.

Wendling Beck

We're partners in the nationally significant Wendling Beck Environment Project. This is a pioneering habitat creation, nature restoration and regenerative farming project on 2,000 acres of land next to the Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse.

The project includes the creation of the Wendling Way - a new walking route between Dereham and Gressenhall.

Greenways to Green Spaces

Our Greenways to Green Spaces projects work to improve connectivity in the natural environment. By creating new green places and corridors, they provide improved habitats for wildlife and opportunities for people to spend time in nature through active travel and accessible infrastructure.

Greenways to Green Spaces projects include:

1 Million Trees

We're committed to planting 1 million trees across Norfolk. We're working with partners, landowners, communities and local councils to achieve this. Our tree planting and resilience strategy sets out how we will plant the trees.

The trees we plant will support wildlife and increase biodiversity, contribute to carbon reduction and flood mitigation, and improve air quality.

Norfolk Trails

Norfolk Trails already provide safe, green walking and cycling routes across the county. We are working to extend the trail network to encourage everyone to explore and benefit from the local countryside.

This includes the Kett's Country Long Distance Trail between Wymondham and Norwich which opened in 2022 and five new Jubilee Trails.

Roadside verges

We are working with Suffolk County Council to plant at least four nature recovery sites on roadside verges. We're identifying locations where we can change our cutting schedule. This will inform our policy on verge management. We will also explore the possibility of using green waste from cutting verges to generate bio-electricity. 

Pollinators

Protecting bees and other pollinating insects is essential for supporting food production and the diversity of our environment. We're developing a Pollinator Action Plan. The plan will ensure pollinators are a key consideration when planning any Council activity that could affect their population levels.

Weed management

We're committed to minimising the environmental impact of weed control on land we own and manage. Our glyphosate policy explains when and how we use herbicides.