Happy New Year from NRT
Wednesday January 1st, 2025
As another busy year draws to a close, we’re delighted to reflect on a year of significant achievements made possible by the combined efforts of our dedicated team, trustees, supporters and partners. Together, we have made important strides in our work to restore, protect and enhance Norfolk’s precious water environments.
This year, we have led large-scale river restoration projects on the rivers Stiffkey and Yare, while collaborating with farmers and land managers to adopt water sensitive farming measures that improve soil health, water quality and biodiversity, and enhance resilience to floods and droughts.
Our work to celebrate the value of rivers has expanded, reaching people from all backgrounds and providing an increased number of river-based trips, activities and talks than ever before.
We are deeply grateful to our growing volunteer base, whose contributions – such as installing woody debris, planting hedgerows and carrying out wetland maintenance – have been vital to the success of projects. We also thank our dedicated citizen scientists, who collect weekly water samples, providing us and our catchment partners with crucial data to support future projects aimed at improving water quality.
The creation of a dedicated position focused on GIS and data resources has enhanced our ability to collect and communicate high-quality data, driving real change on the ground. As partners in two Landscape Recovery pilots covering North Norfolk and Breckland, we are helping over 100 farmers and land managers plan large-scale chalk river restoration and habitat creation efforts, ensuring a lasting impact on the landscape.
We continue to protect our native species though collaborative projects, such as breeding and releasing the critically endangered white-clawed crayfish into select locations in partnership with the Zoological Society of East Anglia. Plans for the reintroduction of burbot, a freshwater relative of the cod, are also progressing, along with plans for new beaver enclosures in carefully selected locations in North Norfolk.
In 2025, we are excited to share our new strategy, which will focus on catchment-scale projects and nature-based solutions, alongside ongoing collaboration with land managers, communities and stakeholders. We will also continue using data to guide our decision-making and ensure the success of our projects.
Read our latest newsletter to hear more about our highlights and news.
Thank you for your ongoing support, and I wish you all the best for 2025.
