The trio of Rollesby, Ormesby and Filby broads are crystal clear examples of how we can tap into natural resources, while improving our environment and providing space for wildlife to thrive.

The Trinity Broads (it’s actually five including Lily and Ormesby Little Broad) are owned by Essex and Suffolk Water company (ESW); supplying nearly five million litres of drinking water per day to over 80,000 homes in Great Yarmouth and its surrounding area.

In addition to providing this essential service ESW have worked to safeguard and enhance the Trinity broads as valuable wildlife havens, and over the past six years this has been in partnership with Norfolk Wildlife Trust. We often

Pair of tufted ducks, photo by Elizabeth Dack

take for granted clean running water in our homes, as we do the natural world that surrounds us, but we do so at our peril.

I met Eilish, the Norfolk Wildlife Trust Warden for the Trinity Broads, returning from an early morning bird count. Her small electric powered boat cut silently through the slowly dissipating mist. A Cetti’s warbler burst out its vibrant song and tufted duck bobbed about in small groups. Eilish’s infectious enthusiasm for the broads is as resounding as the dawn chorus.             
                           
“It’s hard to imagine they once looked like thick pea soup, there was little in the way of food to support a healthy diverse environment for wildlife.”

In 1994 when ESW purchased Trinity Broads, the water quality was in an extremely poor state. Having suffered many years of neglect, the high levels of agricultural run-off and sewage seepage resulted in nutrient levels in the Trinity Broads being artificially high. The consequence of this was the ‘greening’ of the water due to blooms of microscopic algae, essentially leading to catastrophic biological imbalance.  

Twenty five years ago ESW immediately set about, in collaboration with the Broads Authority, Natural England and the Environment Agency, to restore them to a state fit for the supply of drinking water.

Eilish explains that huge numbers of undersized roach (these were stunted and rarely grew very big) were moved from Ormesby to Rollesby Broad, after which a barrier between the two broads was installed.   

“Because small fish were not there to eat them – tiny pink water fleas grew in number and because water fleas love to eat algae, in four months the water was clear.”  

During the following years, the Trinity Broads Partnership worked with farmers to improve ploughing regimes and reduce fertiliser use. Work was carried out to identify the sources of water flowing into the broads and mitigate contamination where possible. Selective mud-pumping of nutrient rich sediment has continued to improve the water quality.
 
The variety of aquatic plants in the Trinity Broads now rivals that of any lake system in the UK, with several scarce stonewort plants and the very rare holly-leaved naiad included. Reed warblers and buntings chant their mantra from

Trinity Broads warden, Eilish Rothney and her volunteers, photo by Matthew Roberts

the reed fringes, bitterns are seen regularly and cuckoos call through the spring. The reserve is rich in wetland birds, insects and a wide range of fish species now reside in a more balanced population.

Although great strides have been made, the task of continuing this work falls to the Eilish and her band of willing volunteers. Where necessary, scrub is removed to allow better conditions for light loving wetland plants, reed and sedge is cut, fens mowed and raked and regular surveys are conducted.

It is not just wildlife that has profited, activities such as sailing, rowing and angling take place, there is even a model boat club.

Twenty five years on, the benefits to both wildlife and the local community through these and other recreational pursuits is as clear as the glistening waters the dinghies sail through.  

In celebration of this achievement the Norfolk Wildlife Trust is holding 25 events throughout the year. This will include a photography competition, guided wildlife walks and boat trips, lectures, family days and a food festival.

The full programme and details of our competition!
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