We haven't given up on the Norfolk Broads - iceni Post News from the North folk & South folk

Norfolk Broads / the coast May 9, 2008

We haven’t given up on the Norfolk Broads

We want these wetlands to be protected and managed for as long as possible, says Brendan Joyce

Hickling Broad is the largest of the Norfolk Broads and is at threat from sea-level rise. Patrick Barkham’s statement that “local environmental groups such as the Norfolk Wildlife Trust have spoken hopefully of valuable new salt water habitats if this part of the Broads is submerged” does not represent our view (Waves of destruction, April 17). We own and manage Hickling Broad and are deeply concerned about its future.

Hickling Broad is part of a unique area for wildlife, valued by many people. The article says: “Even if it is protected with new sea walls, saline intrusion from rising sea levels will irrevocably transform the Broads from a freshwater region into a salty one. Some freshwater species will become extinct in Broadland.” The Trust wants to see Hickling and the other broads protected and managed for as long as possible. Concern over the long-term future of the Upper Thurne Broads, however, has to be judged against our attempts to protect this valued wetland. Hickling Broad is suffering from a host of threats, including poor water quality caused by saline intrusion. Progress in tackling these threats, however, is slow and woefully underfunded.

There are concerns over the sustainability of the existing sea defences and some form of managed retreat may be inevitable. Barkham reports that “the government still won’t contemplate the question of compensating our climate change refugees of the future”. As well as the impact on people, their lives and livelihoods, what happens about compensating for the loss of existing freshwater habitat? We would say that habitat has to be recreated, which is not an easy task. One might find that the costs of actually doing all that are not too far away from the cost of defending the existing line for as long as possible.

The article mentions another of our nature reserves, Cley Marshes on the north Norfolk coast, claiming: “A protective shingle bank is being allowed to fall into disrepair.” In reality it is being allowed to re-profile itself naturally and will no longer be artificially managed, which had continually weakened its integrity. While the frequency of seawater overtopping the ridge is likely to increase, the lower, wider profile is expected to absorb more wave energy. Coupled with this, improved drainage of the marshes behind the ridge and a new tidal channel have been created, which should provide continued drainage for approximately 200 years.

Whether we believe in climate change or not, the evidence is that a significant impact could potentially occur over a large area of land. We do not currently have the research that will tell us exactly what we can expect or what we can do.

Steve Hayman, the Environment Agency coastal manager for East Anglia, is quoted as saying: “In the longer term there are really difficult questions to answer here and it may not be possible to maintain the coastline as we know it today.” In the meantime our trust believes a huge amount of work is required. We face some very serious issues, and decisions will need to be taken soon to avoid catastrophe.

Source: www.guardian.co.uk