Conservation and the Environment - Brecks.Org

Turtle Dove Credit Ben Andrews (RSPB-images.com)

Turtle Doves in the Brecks

Hear from Matt Horsham, Community Project Officer for Operation Turtle Dove about the conservation efforts in the Brecks to protect and support these beautiful, endangered birds.

Turtle Doves were once the UK’s fastest declining bird species and are listed as vulnerable on a global scale. A vibrant, dainty species of dove with a charismatic turr-turring call from which its name derives, numbers in the UK plummeted by an estimated 99% between their peak in the late 1960s and 2023.

There are currently around 2,000 breeding pairs in the UK and some can be found in the Norfolk and Suffolk Brecks.

Watch the Talk

Brecks Wildlife Calendar

Discover the wildlife there is to see in the Brecks each month of the year with this watery wildlife calendar!

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ID Guides and Survey Training

Find out how to identify different wildlife you may come across in the Brecks and how you can take part in the relevant surveys.

Amphibian Identification and Spawn Survey Webinar

Water Testing

During the project, we’ve carried out extensive waterbody testing for eDNA in order to survey the wildlife in our waters and to sample how clean the waters of the Brecks are. See our reports below.

Clean Water Presentation Part One Clean Water Presentation Part Two Where and How Samples were Taken 2021 Water Testing Results Film 2022 Water Testing Results Film Full Water Testing Report Priority Ponds Report

For Land Owners

Resources especially for people who own or manage land on the riverside, known as riparian land.

Riparian Management Guide Gardening, naturally webinar for riverside gardeners Riverside Garden Guide

Resources for Parishes

Webinars for Councils and Other Parish Decision-Makers

Bringing Back Nature: Biodiversity for Parishes Neighbourhood Planning for Parishes Pond Restoration and Conservation

Guide for River Users

Download the Guide

Restoring Ancient Ponds

This amazing project restored 15 ice age ponds with minimal interference – simply clearing off past human activity and allowing the ancient seedbed to revive.

Learn about the project in this film