Halvergate Marshes
Encyclopedia
The Halvergate Marshes are marsh
es situated south of the River Bure
on the Norfolk Broads
in Norfolk
, England
, United Kingdom
.
Halvergate Marshes were an estuary
in Roman
times. Around 400 years ago the land was drained and converted to grazing marsh. In the 1980s, further draining was undertaken to convert the area to arable farm
ing, especially rapeseed
whose cultivation was encouraged by the then European Community (now the European Union
). Under the Common Agricultural Policy
(CAP), the EC guaranteed to buy all the rapeseed produced. This led to overproduction.
All this meant that wildlife
habitats
were damaged or lost. The area was then designated as an Environmentally Sensitive Area
(ESA), and traditional marsh
land grazing and water
level management
was encouraged through cooperation with farmers and landowners. Recently, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
(RSPB) and the local landowner were awarded the designation of a Site of Special Scientific Interest
(SSSI) from English Nature
. The farmer had controlled the water level with two dams linked to freshwater underground springs
; this provided ideal habitats for marshland plants and animals.
The Marshes are dotted with windpump
s, many without sails or even caps. Among the best preserved are Stracey Arms Mill on the River Bure, Lockgate Mill, Mutton's Mill, High's Mill, Cadge's Mill, Kerrison's Level Mill and Runham Swim Mill.
Part of the area is RSPB Berney Marshes
, a reserve of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
, adjacent to Berney Arms
village and Berney Arms windpump.
The village of Halvergate
is to the west of the Marshes.
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es situated south of the River Bure
River Bure
The River Bure is a river in the county of Norfolk, England, most of it in The Broads. The Bure rises near Melton Constable, upstream of Aylsham, which was the original head of navigation. Nowadays, the head of navigation is downstream at Coltishall Bridge...
on the Norfolk Broads
The Broads
The Broads are a network of mostly navigable rivers and lakes in the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. The Broads, and some surrounding land were constituted as a special area with a level of protection similar to a UK National Park by The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act of 1988...
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Halvergate Marshes were an estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
in Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
times. Around 400 years ago the land was drained and converted to grazing marsh. In the 1980s, further draining was undertaken to convert the area to arable farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
ing, especially rapeseed
Rapeseed
Rapeseed , also known as rape, oilseed rape, rapa, rappi, rapaseed is a bright yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae...
whose cultivation was encouraged by the then European Community (now the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
). Under the Common Agricultural Policy
Common Agricultural Policy
The Common Agricultural Policy is a system of European Union agricultural subsidies and programmes. It represents 48% of the EU's budget, €49.8 billion in 2006 ....
(CAP), the EC guaranteed to buy all the rapeseed produced. This led to overproduction.
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
habitats
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
were damaged or lost. The area was then designated as an Environmentally Sensitive Area
Environmentally Sensitive Area
An Environmentally Sensitive Area is a type of designation for an agricultural area which needs special protection because of its landscape, wildlife or historical value. The scheme was introduced in 1987...
(ESA), and traditional marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
land grazing and water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
level management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
was encouraged through cooperation with farmers and landowners. Recently, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Bird Notes and News was first published in April 1903.The title changed to 'Bird Notes' in 1947. In the 1950s, there were four copies per year . Each volume covered two years, spread over three calendar years...
(RSPB) and the local landowner were awarded the designation of a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
(SSSI) from English Nature
English Nature
English Nature was the United Kingdom government agency that promoted the conservation of wildlife, geology and wild places throughout England between 1990 and 2006...
. The farmer had controlled the water level with two dams linked to freshwater underground springs
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
; this provided ideal habitats for marshland plants and animals.
The Marshes are dotted with windpump
Windpump
A windpump is a windmill used for pumping water, either as a source of fresh water from wells, or for draining low-lying areas of land. Once a common fixture on farms in semi-arid areas, windpumps are still used today where electric power is not available or too expensive.-History:Windmills were...
s, many without sails or even caps. Among the best preserved are Stracey Arms Mill on the River Bure, Lockgate Mill, Mutton's Mill, High's Mill, Cadge's Mill, Kerrison's Level Mill and Runham Swim Mill.
Part of the area is RSPB Berney Marshes
RSPB Berney Marshes
Berney Marshes RSPB reserve is a nature reserve in the care of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds . It is situated south of the River Bure in Norfolk, England, within The Broads National Park.It is part of the Halvergate Marshes....
, a reserve of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Bird Notes and News was first published in April 1903.The title changed to 'Bird Notes' in 1947. In the 1950s, there were four copies per year . Each volume covered two years, spread over three calendar years...
, adjacent to Berney Arms
Berney Arms
Berney Arms is a place on the north bank of the River Yare, close to Breydon Water in the English county of Norfolk. It is part of the civil parish of Reedham, is administered by the district of Broadland and lies within The Broads National Park...
village and Berney Arms windpump.
The village of Halvergate
Halvergate
Halvergate is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, north of Reedham., halfway between the Rivers Bure and Yare, within The Broads National Park.It covers an area of and had a population of 468 in 202 households as of the 2001 census....
is to the west of the Marshes.
See also
- Nitrate Sensitive Area (NSA)
- Arable Area Payments Scheme
- Special Area of ConservationSpecial Area of ConservationA Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
(SAC) - Special Protection AreaSpecial Protection AreaA Special Protection Area or SPA is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds.Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certain particularly threatened birds.Together with Special...
(SPA) - Protected areaProtected areaProtected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
- Muttons Mill
- Lockgate MillLockgate MillLockgate Mill also referred to locally and historically as Freethorpe Mill, 'Banham's Black Mill' and 'Duffel's Mill' is a windpump located on the Halvergate Marshes in the detached parish of Freethorpe within the Norfolk Broads National Park, United Kingdom...