RSPB marks 50 years at wildlife-rich reserve
Reserve manager Helen Deavin says the site helps rare species not just survive, but thrive.
Strumpshaw Fen, a nature reserve in Norfolk, is marking fifty years of preserving its rich wildlife. Spanning 450 hectares (1,112 acres), the wetland site is as large as 630 football pitches. Reserves manager Helen Deavin highlighted the presence of rare species like nesting bitterns, swallowtail butterflies, and cranes that successfully raised a chick this summer.
Deavin described Strumpshaw as a "hidden gem" due to its accessible wildlife and called it a place where visitors can witness the magic of the Broads. The reserve boasts diverse wildlife, including marsh harriers, bearded tits, waders, ducks, geese, otters, water voles, fen raft spiders, orchids, and rare sharp-leaved pondweed. Deavin emphasized that the reserve's teams have developed habitats ensuring wildlife safety, food, shelter, and breeding grounds, helping rare species not only survive but thrive.
Despite the challenging summer heatwaves, the reserve is optimistic about a cooler, wetter autumn. Strumpshaw, once unmanaged fenland, became an RSPB reserve in the mid-1970s. Local BBC Look East camera operator Shaun Whitmore, who has always been fond of the reserve, shared his personal connection to Strumpshaw, recounting how it provided solace during his life's tough times.
In 2019, Strumpshaw Fen was where Whitmore proposed to his future wife. For Whitmore, the reserve is a perfect escape, offering reed beds, marshes, woodland, and river views along with abundant birds and wildlife, making it an ideal place for relaxation and enjoying the fresh air and freedom amidst life's busyness.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
