Biodiversity
The concept of ‘biodiversity’ has been recognised in recent years and means the richness and variety of plants, birds, animals, insects and other life forms.
In 1993 an international treaty was signed by 159 governments to conserve the world’s biodiversity. This led to the launch of ‘Biodiversity: the UK Action Plan’ in 1994 and the ‘Norfolk Biodiversity Action Plan’ (BAP) in 1999. The Norfolk BAP currently features 29 Species Action Plans and 9 Habitat Action Plans. These are the national priority species and habitats that are found in Norfolk and, as such, are those that require our urgent attention.
Reflecting its high wildlife value, a number of the Norfolk BAP species and habitats are found in the Wensum Valley. The species are water vole, otter, brown hare, skylark, grey partridge, song thrush, great crested newt, white-clawed crayfish and Desmoulin’s whorl snail. The habitats are reedbed, floodplain grazing marsh, lowland heathland, fen, ancient and/or species-rich hedgerow and cereal field margins.
To find out more about biodiversity and the habitats and species above, visit the Norfolk biodiversity website.