News from Oulton Marshes

Developing Dyke at Oulton Marshes

The Oulton Marshes Reserve is developing well with good numbers of Cetti's Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler present this season.  The new land has started to attract birds like Little Egret, Yellow Wagtail, Lapwing and even the Grey Wagtail, as well as many Mallard and Mute Swans with the open water areas.  These areas are also a hive of activity for Dragonflies and Damselflies such as the Norfolk Hawker and Azure Damselfly that parade up and down the newly cleaned out dykes.

The new river wall

The Flood Alliviation Project has finished for the time being. The Fisher Row path is accessible as far as the river but access is still not permitted along the banks of the Oulton Dyke, this is to allow vegetation to establish and the areas of open water to reed up.  The Ice Track permissive path that takes reserve visitors to and from the 24hr mooring is open and allows access north along the old river wall embankment as once again the new wall needs time to develop.  Both these areas will be fully functional as permissive routes next year with an excellent surface to walk on and great views of the reserve.

Developing dyke at Oulton Marshes

The large areas of water at the Tea Gardens and along the western edge of the reserve are designed to take silt from Oulton Broad and will eventually become mini reedbeds that should attract bearded tit and plenty more sedge and reed warblers to the site, as well as providing refuge for otters and water voles.

The reserve is developing well with the help of cattle grazing and topping to achieve a short sward into the winter months.  This will hopefully attract numbers of wigeon, teal and geese.

The reserve interpretation and access will be improved over the next couple of years with an interpretation plan designed to educate and encourage use of the reserve, with additional permissive paths and information panels and even a viewing platform for bird watchers to view the marshes or just somewhere for visitors to rest their feet.

Hopefully whether you are fishing on the Oulton Dyke, walking or birdwatching you will be able to enjoy the wildlife soaring over head or feeding on the marshes, right on the fringe of Lowestoft.

For wildlife haven, just add water

Simon Barnes of The Times visits the Suffolk Broads.  Read his article here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article7091838.ece

New land for wildlife at Oulton

I am delighted to let you know that we have completed the purchase of 5.5 acres of marshland at Oulton Marshes (shown in purple on the map below). The land purchase was made possible by the tremendous response we received to our Suffolk Broads Living Landscape appeal – thank you again to everyone that was able to help by making a donation.

Over the next few years, this land will develop as wildlife habitat.  It is relatively unimproved grazing marsh and the ditches have huge wildlife potential. Our immediate priority is restoring the ditches and replacing the gates so we can return the marsh to grazing as part of Oulton Marshes nature reserve.

Buying land is always an exciting time for the Trust and I hope you will enjoy sharing our excitement.

We've done it!

We've reached our £50,000 online target through the Big Give Match Fund challenge.
A huge and heartfelt thank you to all our donors.

The appeal is still ongoing - all funding we receive will go towards land acquisition and land management in the Suffolk Broads. You can donate online through PayPal by clicking the donate button below. Donations can also be made by calling 01473 890089.

Thank you!

We have had an absolutely fantastic result to the online fundraising campaign this morning. Nearly 100 donations have been made bringing us ever closer to our total of £50,000. We had Essex and Suffolk Water and local musician John Ward joining us at Carlton Marshes to make a donation and launch the project, and kind individuals throughout the county have been doing their bit.

The match funding for Monday has now run out but we are doing it all again tomorrow - and Wednesday, when the Big Give release more funding. Watch this space for details.

To make a donation through the Big Give and double your donation click here.

Media coverage

Just a quick note to let everyone know the project is currently featured on the BBC Suffolk website. Radio Suffolk's Lesley Dolphin is also featuring an audio guide I recorded with her recently. This will be on her show from 1pm on Monday. For our project launch on Monday Beach Radio will be covering the event as will the Eastern Daily Press be running an article. Thank you to all who are helping us to raise the profile of this project.

Big Give countdown

By now our members and supporters should have received the literature detailing our appeal to raise £50,000 towards the purchase of new land for wildlife in the Suffolk Broads. This is no ordinary appeal as this project is part of the 'Big Give Match fund challenge'

The Big Give are matching all donations made to the Suffolk Broads appeal through their website on Monday 7, Tue 8 and Weds 9 December. This funding is from the Reed Foundation - and part of a national opportunty that we simply could not miss.

If you are able to support the project in this way, click here to donate online through the Big Give.

If you would like any information about the Big Give Match Fund challenge, please do not hesitate to get in touch.