Mid Norfolk Local Group

From The Chair

I have recently been elected to Chair the mid Norfolk Group after being its Secretary for the past nine years. During that time we have welcomed speakers on such topics as: whale watching near the Azores; taxidermy; all you need to know about hedgehogs; as well as the work of numerous wardens of the NWT Reserves. Attendance at our indoor meetings fluctuate between 30 and 45, the trend sadly being downwards, which is most disappointing! To attract and maintain the interest of new members is a challenge which must be met if the Group is to have a long term future!
Arthur Smith

Our Local Area

Centrally positioned, we could be described as the ‘hub’ of the County, with all the other Groups spread around us! Our group was formed in 1979 and it based at Dereham. One founder committee member, Michael Burton, has recently been re-elected for his 30th year! Although primarily an agricultural area, there are a number of relatively small NWT nature reserves and other wildlife areas. During the past few years, Group visits have been made to the nature reserves, including Hoe Rough, Honeypot Wood, Scarning Fen and Lolly Moor.

Foxley Wood and Thursford Wood have both attracted large groups, particularly for ‘fungal forays’. The River Wensum flows through our region and as a result of aggregate extractions from its valley, a number of interesting wildlife areas have been created – Sparham Pools, Swanton Morley Pits and in the privately owned Sennowe Park. Just north of this is the well known Pensthorpe Wild Fowl Trust.

Lengthy footpaths are few and far between in this area, although quiet country lanes are almost as good! Marriott’s Way, which extends from Norwich to Reepham, passes through the east of our region, and is good for walking and cycling.

About the Group

The main aims of the Group are
• to provide opportunities for interested people to gather, socialise and hear talks by those more expert on particular topics
• to encourage all age groups to visit places of importance to wildlife conservation and bio-diversity
• to raise funds for use by NWT HQ.

We hold monthly indoor meetings from October to April and outdoor summer visits, to which all are welcome.

Monitoring is a very important part of wildlife studies and the fact that for more than twenty years this Group has organised a monthly ‘Bird Walk’ to record the numbers and species in the Hoe Common area, means that a database of considerable value has been produced. A very commendable effort!

Contact Us

Chair: Arthur Smith 01362 668494; Secretary: Jacquie Fenn 01362 697783