King's Lynn Wildlife Area gets new name

A name – Salters Sanctuary - has been chosen for the public wildlife area which is being developed near Lynnsport. The name reflects the fact the area of woodland, wetland and meadowland is right next to Salters Road, as well as being alongside the Gaywood River.

The new name for the area was the brainchild of Maggie Anderson, a resident of South Wootton, who wins a year’s free membership of Norfolk Wildlife Trust and and other trust goodies as a prize.

The name will now take pride of place on three interpretation boards to be installed at the entrances to the site later in the year.

It was chosen by the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, who own the land, from public suggestions submitted to Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT), who work with local volunteers from the Gaywood Valley Conservation Group to help manage the site for wildlife and people.

“All the suggestions put forward were really interesting and positive”, said Mark Webster from NWT, “with many of them referring to the local heritage of the King’s Lynn area”.

Councillor Alistair Beales, Borough Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration, agreed. “It was really difficult to decide which of the names suggested by local people we should use”, he admitted, “but we liked the simplicity and alliteration of this name. I am sure that ‘Salters Sanctuary’ will become a popular green space in King's Lynn.”

Volunteers will continue to work at the site through the coming year, enhancing the circular path around the site and opening out sunny glades for wildflowers and butterflies, as well as identifying and recording the special plants and animals which are found there.

For details of how you can join in with the group’s free activities, contact NWT’s Mark Webster on 07843 069 567, or search online for the Gaywood Valley Conservation Group, who meet at Beulah Street car park at 9.30am on Mondays.