Citizen Science – Testing the Waters

The first of its kind in the Brecks, this study used cutting edge Environmental DNA (eDNA) to survey ponds, streams, ditches and river headwater streams. The study revealed which freshwater fish, amphibians and mammals live in, or visit waterbodies in the Brecks. We also used rapid water quality test kits to look for pollutants such as nitrate and phosphate.

Over 100 local volunteers took part in this study, run in partnership with the Freshwater Habitats Trust, to test water from more than 70 waterbodies across the Brecks. The eDNA of amphibians such as the common toad and great crested newt was identified, as well as 26 different fish species and mammals such as water vole and otter.

The research also revealed standing waters, as opposed to running waterbodies to be the cleanest freshwater habitats and that fish, such as the European Eel, which are usually associated with rivers, travel overland on wet nights to live in these alternative freshwater homes.

You can read the final results here: Testing the Water

A series of video resources were also created which you can view here: Citizen Science Series

You can read more about the places we tested and the results on the project page linked below.

Fen Edge and Rivers Archaeology

This project trained over 140 volunteers in non-intrusive archaeological survey techniques: geophysical survey and fieldwalking, and associated finds identification and processing.

The results of this training revealed the extent and condition of buried archaeology at key sites, primarily in the Lark Valley but also looking at under-investigated sites and the peripheries of known sites. Finds included pottery sherds of Bronze, Iron Age, Roman, Later Anglo-Saxon and medieval date, as well as flint flakes and heat-altered stone indicating prehistoric activity. Most notably however, was that volunteers discovered two silver coins, one quite rare.

You can read more about the sites surveyed and the findings, on the project page linked below.

Heritage River Crafts: Living on the Edge

The aim of this project was to reconnect the River Lark to West Stow and, in so doing, enhance the visitor and volunteer experience by enabling people to directly experience the past through skills workshops.

Initial efforts went towards improving access to the river with better pathways and clearing the view of the ancient waterway. The cleared wood was then used as materials for experimental archaeology and heritage craft workshops, as well as providing materials for wider river conservation projects.

Craft workshops included river-based crafts, such as building coracles, as well as the construction of an authentic site-specific Iron Age roundhouse using old techniques. The Iron Age round house became a ‘working’ building with volunteers learning and honing new skills in the process of building it. Now that it’s finished, we hope it will provide a unique education centre for future generations.

You can read more about the project on the page linked below.

Watery Wildlife Education

This project saw a collaboration between Norfolk and Suffolk Wildlife Trusts working towards the common aim of connecting local people with the unique habitats and wonderful wildlife on their doorsteps.

Both trusts worked intensively with key primary schools in their areas, running assemblies and workshops in schools and bringing children out of the classroom and into nature reserves for special, themed wildlife days too. Sites of focus were Thompson Common, Lackford Lakes and Knettishall Heath.

Both Trusts also worked with adult groups, partnering further with Realise Futures, Suffolk Refugee Support and MIND to work with Ukrainian refugees, those struggling with mental health and long-term unemployed adults.

Part of the project was also to boost the confidence of teachers and group leaders in bringing learning out of the classroom and into the wild, with teacher training workshops and guided walks to show group leaders how it’s done.

The project also involved the creation of a Brecks Wildlife calendar and a number of films – which you can see on the project page.

Long-term, this project has established a network of community groups and schools who are confident working with the Wildlife Trusts, but also connected hundreds of children to the special wildlife of the Brecks.

Supporting Sustainability

This project was a collaborative effort between the Cam and Ely Ouse Catchment Partnership (Anglian Water), BFER, Resources for Change and Keystone Marketing. The aim was to support natural partnership progression by facilitating the development of new and existing partnership structures and strengthening the organisations and community groups we work with.

This project has facilitated space for our partners to have a voice in the workings and development of the project. It has also hosted the discussions and development of the legacy to secure the long-term protection and management of the Brecks. You can read the final summary on this here: Brecks Options Study.

Training workshops and guidance have also strengthened organisations and community groups with advice on how to collaborate during covid, social media training, working with volunteers and bid-writing/fundraising workshops. Exegesis also ran a workshop on digital mapping using QGIS. The resources from these workshops are available for everyone on our website as a longer term legacy.

Supporting Placements and Youth Training

This project supported young people and adults to gain experience in heritage jobs by providing funding for skills training. We also raised awareness of heritage-based career opportunities in the area.

Some of this work involved going into schools and colleges to talk about heritage careers, and building connections and providing funding for our partners to offer 24 work experience placements. We also interviewed 16 professionals who work in the heritage and conservation industries about what their job involves and how they got there – we then created career profiles for each one as a learning resource.

We also funded a multi-school trip to Howard Nurseries to learn about careers in horticulture and forest school training which not only opened a new avenue of training for a partner, but connected the children involved with the environment too.

A large part of this project was the creation, development and delivery of a new six-week training programme with Bush Adventures: the EDGE Programme. Designed to build the skills and confidence of students and young people from hard-to-reach groups, those outside of employment, education or training, or those with special educational needs, this programme ran five times and delivered amazing results to 65 young people.

Take a look at our other Programme Round-Ups below:

Programme 1: Restoring the Water

Programme 2: Under the Surface

Programme 4: Revealing the Rivers