Blackwater Carr
Blackwater Carr's History
Blackwater Carr, previously two fields of disused farmland following the war, became a wildlife area in 2011. We bought the woodlands from environmentalist, author, and journalist, Mark Cocker, in June 2019. We were looking for an interesting woodland area with regards to wildlife and biodiversity, that we could enrich. Mark, the previous owner who was particularly interested in handing over the site to someone who could continue what he started, passed on a record list with over 600 species. We now have over 850 recorded species at Blackwater Carr which we are quite excited about!
​
Blackwater Carr is 5.5 acres (2.2 Hectares) of land located within the Norfolk Broads Authority, surrounded by 5 dikes, with another running through it. The river Yare runs alongside the site.
​
The site currently has the status of Local Wildlife Site. Our plan is to further its rewilding and biodiversity development in order to apply for Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) status
​
​
Our Mission
As found by scientists at London’s Natural History Museum and reported in the Guardian, “almost half of Britain’s natural biodiversity has disappeared. The UK is one of the worst-rated nations in the world for the extent to which its ecosystems have retained their natural animals and plants. It has lost more biodiversity than any G7 country”.
​
We all have a responsibility. In these days of looming climate change, we are doing what we can to make a difference.
​
We have a clear plan for future work and rewilding of Blackwater Carr to create a mosaic of different habitats. We have much to do and the willingness to do it. Some ongoing projects include gradually clearing parts of the dykes, coppicing the willows, and maintaining the growth of the hedges by clearing stinging nettles and bindweed. We are working on how to slow down the encroachment of the ground ivy.
​
Doing this over the next 2 years would improve and give rise to new habitats for many species. To this end, we have already consulted with and had visits from various environmentalists and field experts. We have invited Professors and Lecturers at the Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation at the University of East Anglia to use the site for scientific research work. We aim to provide opportunities for graduate and postgraduate students along with local schools for outdoor learning. This will be beneficial for all involved; the students, us, and most importantly, the endangered species.
​
Sadly our vision for Blackwater Carr is in jeopardy. We are currently trying to convince the Broads Authority that our management hub on the site is necessary to continue our work at the site.
​When on site, our early morning involves the dawn chorus and a tour of the site to check things over, to discover and record anything new. The birds are fed daily when we visit and once a week by our local biology graduate, Michael, when we are not. Our nightly routine requires setting the moth trap, feeding the foxes and deer as well as checking for owls and bats followed by review of our wildlife cameras, scouring for new species and recording any species data.
​
We work very hard here to make a difference and really want to be able to continue our commitment. To do so we need to maintain the use of our management hub on site. We use it for storing bird food, resource books, first aid equipment and sensitive science equipment. Here we also download the videos, log species data and get some much-needed rest.
​
We press ahead with our biodiversity endeavors whilst we grapple with the challenges.
Your support and interest means a great deal to us!