The Norfolk Broads

Introduction

In this piece of coursework I will be looking at the Norfolk Broads. I will write about where they are, what they are, how they were traditionally used, tourism, and wildlife. I will also be writing a letter to the Norfolk Broads authorities acting as an owner of a boat company asking permission for a licence to put 10 boats on the Broads. And I will also be writing against the proposal for the boats as the leader of the local environmental group. And the last piece of the coursework I will be writing a conclusion whether I think Bill Moredosh should or should not get his licence for the 10 boats on the Broads. I will be summing up the arguments for and against the licence. In this piece of work I will include pictures and maps of the Norfolk Broads, and graphs.

What is so special about the Broads area?

The region popularly known as the Norfolk Broads, or Broadland, is a landscape of slow-moving rivers, fens, marshes and waterlogged woodland located to the east of Norwich. It takes its name from some 50 shallow lakes, the great majority of which were hand dug in mediaeval times as a source of peat for fuel.

There are some 190 kilometres (120 miles) of lock-free waterways in the region, and it is not therefore surprising that it forms one of Britain's most important centres for waterborne holidaymaking and recreation. Broadland also contains a wealth of bird, insect and plant life, and is therefore highly valued by conservationists. This hypothesis from coursework.info

Originally proposed as a National Park in 1947, the region was eventually afforded comparable status in 1988, following the passing of the Norfolk & Suffolk Broads Act. The Broads Authority which was set up under this legislation acts as the planning authority for the circa 30,000 hectares (74,000 acres) included in the region, and is also responsible for maintaining the waterways in a navigable condition. The Norfolk broads are in the east of England. They are in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in East Anglia. East Anglia is near the wash (see map 1) The three main rivers that connect the broads are The Yare, the Bure and The Waveney (see map 2). They are rivers, lakes and streams, which are in Norfolk and near the coast. There are about 200km of these rivers of these broads. Other rivers in Norfolk are The Wensum, The Chet and the Ant and Thurne. There are 42 broads (14 open to boats) that were artificially created by the large peat-diggings that flooded several hundred years ago. The Broads were originally old peat workings from Medieval and Saxon times. Due to sea levels rising they were flooded and then created was shallow lakes and the peat diggings were abandoned. Medieval diggers taking beat out of the land this was used for fuel it left lakes broad rivers (canals) that are still used today created them 700 years ago. Over the years natural and artificial causes have joined streams, and the rivers to join up to these lakes. The Norfolk Broads are the most famous wet land ecosystem in the UK. The Broads is more than a collection of important sites and species. The different landscapes, land-use, habitats, and the wildlife they support make up an internationally renowned wetland ecosystem. An ecosystem is a system involving the interactions between a community and its non-living environment.

The major habitats are interrelated parts of the ecosystem. Examined separately in this section, they are:

· rivers and broads from coursewrok work info

· fen and carr woodland

· grazing marsh

· estuarycofb fbr sefbfbw orfb fbk infb fofb fb.

The Broads Authority has developed habitat-based restoration and conservation strategies with its in the Broads. These working strategies are based on a thorough evaluation of the natural resources and the potential for nature conservation, and use both traditional agricultural and innovative management methods. The environmental values associated with many types of wetland depend on continued management, involving regular removal of the standing crop. Existing practices for reed-bed management are typically:

(i) labour intensive,

(ii) costly, Durkheim refuted aarushi_m's marxism .

(iii) only suitable under certain wetland conditions,

(iv) often ecologically damaging, while theycobf bfr sebfbfw orbf bfk inbf fobf bf.

(v) Supply a considerable amount of waste cut material, which remains, on site, resulting in a further deterioration of reed-beds and fens.

The region known as the (although it extends into Suffolk as well) is Britain's most varied, attractive and important wetland habitat. It contains many sites of scientific and natural interest of not only national, but also international importance, most especially because of its enormous , both native and migratory. In 1989 it was at last given the status of a National Park - albeit 50 years later than most people think it should have been - and placed under the control of the new Broads Authority.cofb fbr sefbfbw orfb fbk infb fofb fb.

The Rivers

The rivers traversing Broadland comprise the Bure and its tributaries, the Ant and the Thurne; the Yare, which is joined by the Wensum just downstream of Norwich; and the Waveney in the south. The latter unites with the Yare upstream of Breydon Water - all that remains of the large estuary that existed in Roman times - and after being joined by the Bure, the combined flow of all the rivers runs out to sea through the port of Great Yarmouth. Although all the rivers are tidal as they flow through the region, the Yare and Waveney specially so, they are normally only brackish (i.e., slightly salty) in their lower reaches. The gently flowing Broadland rivers each have their own character and beauty all meeting at Breydon water before entering the North Sea.

There are over 200km of lock free waterways to be explored at your leisure.

The Northern Rivers

The is navigable for 59km and flows from to , where it joins the River Yare. The wooded banks of the upper reaches give way to fens fringed with reeds and grassy meadows.

The , a tributary of the River Bure is narrow, shallow and twisting and leads to more remote areas of the Broads.

The , another tributary of the Bure has a fascinating flatness; it is surrounded by almost treeless meadows dotted with windmills.

The Southern Rivers

The flows for 35km ...

This is a preview of the whole essay

There are over 200km of lock free waterways to be explored at your leisure.

The Northern Rivers

The is navigable for 59km and flows from to , where it joins the River Yare. The wooded banks of the upper reaches give way to fens fringed with reeds and grassy meadows.

The , a tributary of the River Bure is narrow, shallow and twisting and leads to more remote areas of the Broads.

The , another tributary of the Bure has a fascinating flatness; it is surrounded by almost treeless meadows dotted with windmills.

The Southern Rivers

The flows for 35km from Northeast to the through beautiful countryside.

The flows from through hilly and beautifully wooded banks, not unlike the upper Thames. In its lower reaches it passes through wonderful fens and marshes

Traditional Uses of the Norfolk Broads

Traditional uses of the Norfolk Broads are reed cutting, pastoral farming and fishing.

Reed Cutting

Reed cutting is a traditional use of the Norfolk Broads. People who cut the reeds down are called reeds men. These workers cut down the reeds for thatching local building roofs. This profession of work is dying down due to sons rarely now follow in their father's footsteps and go for what they want to do and not what their families want them to do.

Pastoral Farming

The marshland and fields around the Broads have provided grazing land for cattle for hundreds of years. This way of life has been threatened, particularly since the 1980's, by government incentives to farmers to introduce drainage improvement schemes. Policies of the European Union have also encouraged farmers to turn from livestock farming to arable. The marshes in many areas have been ploughed up and used for cereal crops like wheat. This change in land use poses a major threat to the ecology and landscape of the broads.

Animal farming in the Norfolk Broads is going to become reduced as the amount of tourist's increases. The boating tourists are damaging the banks of the rivers, which is eroding the sides of the rivers where animals are grazing. The less land to graze the less the animals have to eat and then they start to die off. The wetland though provides good lush pasture for grazing which farmers want to keep their cattle on. Dykes are what keep the animals in and stop them from wondering off.

Fishing

In the Broads it is good fishing because of the clean clear water, which is full of nutrients. Which means the fish has all the nutrients they need to reproduce which makes the rivers be full of fish, which is good for the fishers, because they catch more fish.

The Problems caused by modern agriculture

The problems caused by modern agriculture are intensive farming causing over usage of fertilisers, encourages usage of pesticide, cutting down hedges to increase the size of fields. The over use of pesticides can get into the rivers and pollute the water that can kill the fish, which in the end harms the fisherman's income and damages the waters. Over usage of fertiliser's effects can cause damage to the crops, which will effect the arable farming industry.

Non-arable farming is common in the Norfolk Broads this is an effect also because of the animals somehow escape from their fields into other places they could eat the crops and possibly fall into the rivers killing fish and killing themselves. The grassy fields they eat in could be used to grow more crops in so there wouldn't be a shortage, and the animals could be put into a smaller pen with enough room for them to graze.

The drainage of land has increased by using electric pumping machines, these machines are used too pump out the water from the fields, which could be flooded. The problem with this is because of all the fertiliser's on the fields the nutrients from the soil get transferred into the Broads, which pollutes the water and again kills the fish. Eutrophication means a process by which pollution from such leachate from in organic and mineral nutrients so that Algae grows rapidly and deplete the oxygen supply. The ecology of the Broads depends on a regular fresh flow of water.

Wildlife

The wildlife in the Norfolk Broads consists of birds, fish, frogs, minibeasts, and waterplants, along over animals and plants.

The wildlife thrives alongside grasses and stock. Plants such as southern marsh orchid and bog pimpernel grow well on damp soils. Birds feed and nest on tufty vegetations. In the winter the marshes are important feeding grounds for swans and geese.

Dykes are full of plants (water-plants) Minibeasts, fish, and frogs. They are so full they have to be dredged every few years to stop them being blocked up. Very quickly the dykes fill up with wildlife again.

Birds to be seen on the Broads include , , , , and .

Bittern

The bittern population is now very small and the birds, which are heron-like yet clad in shades of brown and buff, seldom leave the cover of the densest reedbeds. Occasionally one may be suprised at the waterside. Visitors to the Broads in spring might be lucky enough to hear the bittern's unique call, usually described as a 'boom', which is not unlike the sound of a distant foghorn and carries over considerable distances.

Coot

Apart from wild duck, the coot is the most common bird seen swimming on open water. Although black feathered, it is easily recognised by its white bill and facial shield. In spring it builds a floating nest which is hidden among the vegetation around the edge of a broad. By high summer, when breeding is finished, coots occur in parties or packs, which stay together throughout the winter. They feed by diving to obtain succulent waterweeds and often come on land to graze on grassy turf.

Marsh Harrier

This is the largest bird of prey on view in Broadland. In the air, it proceeds in leisurely flapping flight at no great height above the reed beds and, for time to time floats silently on outstretched wings, hoping to take some small bird or mammal by surprise. The make has grey on the wings which are dark tipped while his mate is more uniformly rusty-brown with a cream coloured head. When nesting, the eggs are laid on a platform of dead vegetation, hidden within the densest reed-beds.

Heron

The Heron is called a "Harnser" in Norfolk. These large grey birds can be seen throughout Broadland, and exist by fishing. Like fishermen they need to stand by the waters edge or wade in the shallows. They need a solid platform adjacent to the waters edges so many of the heronries are near to Breydon Water. One heronry is near to Ranworth on the Bure Marshes.

Up to 100 pairs of Heron's nest in Broadland each year, and by summer the young are flying to marshland dykes to feed. The heron has special powder puffs, which are used to rid their feathers of fish slime.

Great Crested Grebe

Great crested grebes are mainly summer visitors to the Broads, the majority spending the winter around the coast or on some of the larger reservoirs. They are extremely attractive birds, the head bearing a black double turfted crest while around the neck is a chestnut frill, darkly tipped. As with coots, they are active divers, taking more animal material such as fish. In May and June the adults are often seen on the water, carrying their striped young on their backs.

Cormorants

These large black birds will eat a stone of fish each day. They are usually estuary birds and can be seen in quite large numbers on Breydon water, sitting on posts, with their wings outspread, drying them, as their feathers are not very waterproof. They fly low, close to the water, with necks outstretched, unlike Herons which fly with their necks tucked in.

Threatened Wildlife.

The unusual wild flowers find it difficult to compare against the hardly grasses on the 'improved' grazing marshes. On the ploughed marshes wildlife has even less chance. In fact it's actively discouraged from the crops by the use of weed-killers and pesticides. Theres little here for the traditional, grazing marsh birds to eat, and no space to nest and run about in. Some of the fertilisers used on the 'improved' marshes and on the crops drain into the dykes. The water containing these fertilisers is then pumped into the rivers, and so the fertilisers are spread throughout the Broads waterways. Here they contribute to the problem of poor water quality. The water in some dykes can be affected too - not only by fertilisers, but also by a brownish-orange deposit called ochre. This is formed when some soils are deeply drained. It's very unhealthy for the water plants and animals. In general the dukes of ploughed marshes have little interest. The water level is kept so low in them that there isn't much room for anything to grow. However, tall plants like reeds can grow along the dykes edges, but here they shade the water. This doesn't help the struggling water plants. This problem doesn't happen on the traditional grazing marshes because the cows stop any plants growing along the dyke edges by grazing, or trampling them when they drink the dyke water.

Natural process threatening the Broads

On the following page's its shows diagrams of Vegetation succession.

A vegetation succession is a relatively fast process, which takes about 20 years to reach its climax (woodland). Death of plants at the broad edge fills up the broad edges with peat, allowing the larger plants to move into the newly filled in area. If this happens all around the edge of the broad, then the edges grow towards each other, effectively shrinking the area of water. Eventually, the broad is filled up completely and is covered in woodland.

Open Fen

The Fens surrounding the Broadswere renowned for their wide variety of plants, including milk parsley and hemp agrimony. These were traditionally harvested for marsh hay and litter (for animal breed and feeding), reeds and sedge (for thatching). The open fen also provided food for insects, birds and small mammals, some of, which are now very rare (such as the swallowtail butterfly whose caterpillar relies on milk parsley for food). The regular harvest of the reeds made sure that the later stages of the vegetation succession were unable to colonise the area.

Swamp Carr

Tree seeds blown onto the root mat of the tussock sedge germinate and eventually take over the neglected fen areas forming a dense cover of shrubby trees dominated by willows. The dense canopy shades out any flowering plants found in the fen, and so only shade tolerant species are found here (such as ferns). The volumes of water taken up by trees during photosynthesis and transpiration, plus the dead plant material accumulating on the ground each winter, slowly dries the soil.

Alder Carr / Wet Woodland

As the soil builds up, it can support the growth of taller trees. Swamp Carr is then replaced by damp shady woodland. Tall alders dominate a shrubby understorey of willows; while climbing plants such as wild hops are encouraged by the dense shade. Other shrubs attract birds, which also take advantage of the many insects found in the Alder Carr. Rotting trees are found in damp conditions, which offer ideal nesting sites.

Fen Carr / Oak Woodland

Fen Carr is the final step in the process of succession. The understorey is dominated by coppiced hazel (coppicing being the traditional form of woodland management in wide use in the 19th Century). Oak trees however, would not be coppiced. The management of the woodland was essential for wildlife, which encouraged a wider range of plants and animals than would be possible with uncoppiced woodlands.

Tourism

Tourism - Tourist travel and the services connected with it ESP. When regarded as an industry

Tourist - 1. A person who travels for pleasure usually sightseeing and staying in accommodation in the area of choice

2. A person on an excursion or sightseeing tour

Touristy - Abounding in or designed for tourists

Tourists have come about in the Norfolk Broads due to the popularity of the boating and water sports holidays, the scenery, wildlife, meet new people, creates business', creates facilities, creates jobs, new experience, creates money and wealth, peace and quiet, fishing

The boating and water sports holidays are popular with people of all ages. The boating as it relaxes people and they enjoy the peace and quiet. The water sports are something for people of most ages as it is something to do if you get bored. Wildlife brings in tourist, as people may be interested in animals and the way they are living. Tourism helps people to meet new people, It creates money and wealth for local business' because of all the money they spend in their shops, restaurants, hotels, boating companies, water sports companies, pubs and supermarkets. It helps to create businesses because if it's a popular place more people will think it's a good idea to open more shops, restaurants etc. Creating jobs is an advantage because the more shops that open the more locals they need to fill in the job spaces. Which will make the local families/people wealthier. Being on a trip to the Norfolk Broads gives you new experience education on a range of topics. For example how to care for animals if you come across any which you would just go back the way you came and not disturb them as you could fright them from their nesting place and they could be to scared to go back. The scenery could attract tourism because of the famous wetland ecosystem. Peace and quiet would attract tourism because some people prefer quiet holidays rather than loud noisy holidays. People who enjoy fishing could go to the Norfolk Broads because the rivers and lakes around Norfolk are full of fish.

Bill Moredosh

999 Grand Close

Cash Lane

London

England

MON EY1

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to you, as I need a licence to put 10 holiday boats on the Norfolk Broads. I am the owner of classy boats, which is based in London. I have at least 7 of my boats on each navigable river/canal in England apart from the Norfolk Broads. I have experience in renting out barges/boats to the public as you might have noticed from previous writing above.

I think this would be a great success for me and for the people of Norfolk, as it will bring in money for the locals. As more tourism means making more money. Money made could be spent on preserving the Broads and the land around will make local business' profits increase as I will need to dock the boats somewhere when they are not in use and dockyards and marinas will be perfect. The owners will come off richer. If they were problems with the boat engines or elsewhere within the boat, local engineers would be called in, which would also make more business. Local businesses like restaurants, newsagents, hotels and pubs they will increase because tourists are on holiday and look to buy things and enjoy eating out so owners profits will increase.

Jobs for the youth of Norfolk will increase, as more tourists will make more shops/restaurants/hotels open, which means the demand for jobs, is higher. This will end in more youths off the streets and into jobs so possibly crime decreases as youths are working and not doing anything illegal.

My boats are all provided with information on nature and how to preserve it, information on wildlife and how to view it without scaring them off and also include a brochure/instructions to boat users on how to respect and use the Broads. I will also invest in some educational boards and signs telling people about wildlife and the environment.

The boats have speed restrictions on them so they won't go over the limit. So bank erosion wont be such a big subject then usual. The more money I make the more money that goes into the Broads. Work to restore will help to reduce the problems of bank erosion, stopping further loss of bankside plants and allowing submerged plants to flourish, and so protect the river edge.

Research undertaken by the Broads Authority in the mid 1980s showed that only a small reduction in speed was needed to produce a significant reduction in boat wash, one of the main causes of bank erosion. As a result 1mph cut all speed limits, with the highest speed limit on the Broads set at 6 mph. These lower speed limits have been in place since 1992 and their impact on rates of bank erosion is being monitored.

I will provide the public with facilities with the money that goes into the Broads, and also the money will go for the preservation of the Broads making in look more attractive.

I know there are restricted areas in the Broads where boats are not allowed to go. I will be specific on the maps were boats are allowed to go.

If this licence gets accepted I will clear the Broads so boats can get through. This will improve the condition of the water, the riverbanks and therefore the habitats.

These boats are all equipped with superior hulls and bows so they do not create so much damage.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours Sincerely,

Bill Moredosh

Classy Boats Ltd.

Teresa green

112 Wetland Lane

Loddon

Norfolk

England

PLZ ELP

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am Teresa Green; I am the leader of the local environmental group, I run a local wildlife refuge. I am very concerned about the damage that tourism is doing to the wetland ecosystem of the Norfolk Broads. I have lived in the area all of my life.

The Broads Authority is responsible for conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the Broads and managing navigation. Both of these elements are combined in river and broad management.

The number of motor boats on the Broads has created problems in the fragile Broads environment. Boat wash has damaged riverbanks, which is worsened by polluted, cloudy water. The silt, which has been washed away from the banks, gathers at the bottom of the waterways, increasing the need for dredging if the rivers and broads are to remain navigable. This section describes the problems and what measures the Broads Authority is taking to reduce them. This is saying about how the affects of more boats will damage the Norfolk Broads

The number of tourists is increasing in number every year. Which equals in the more water activity increasing and boats being used. The more tourists the more the habitats are decreasing Bank erosion is a serious matter for the environmental group as it's a problem because of the dyke's were the animals graze is becoming smaller and smaller. It damages the banks, which the sides' fall into the river making the water become mucky.

The animals are already struggling to due to eutrophication that is due to agriculture (the science or occupation of cultivating land and rearing crops and livestock)

Mr Moredosh's application for the 10 boats to put onto the Norfolk Broads I think is a very bad idea. If he goes get the licence and does well he could be applying next year to put more boats on the Broads. Which will definitely cause more problems for the Broads ecosystem.

Effects from the boats already cause pollution from fuel fumes, noise, creates wash (erodes the banks), destroys habitats, metal moorings to be put in place which makes the scenery look unattractive and creates litter.

I would like to know if you do accept Mr Moredosh's proposal how are you going to restrict the speed restrictions on the boats and keep them out of restricted areas? If the tourists go into the restricted areas that are allocated for wildlife not for the tourists. If they do not know how to approach animals like birds, and scare them off. If the birds have just laid eggs and the tourists scare them off they may never return as they can be to scared to return and the young birds or other animals may die without food as they cannot fend for themselves when they have just hatched.

More Litter will be a problem if you accept this application because more people equal more rubbish. Where will the tourists put the rubbish? If they just put it anywhere it could cause pollution. If the rubbish is put in the river the pollution could kill the fish, and keep it polluted so reproduction cannot happen.

I do hope you think about this application very seriously as it could affect the whole environment and scenery if you do accept.

Best Regards

Teresa Green

The Norfolk Broads