A proposal to formally honour the River Wensum and increase action to protect the plants and animals that live in or near it has been welcomed by the Norfolk Rivers Trust.
In advance of the motion being proposed by Green Councillor Lucy Galvin at a meeting of Norwich City Council on Tuesday, Ursula Juta, of the Norfolk Rivers Trust, made the following comments:
“We’re in full support of this crucial motion to increase the protection of the Wensum’s biodiversity – a globally rare chalk stream that is home to many important and iconic species. This comes at a time when rivers are faced with ever-growing pressures from sewage, urban and agricultural pollution, water abstraction, invasive species, inappropriate development and climate chaos. The current situation cannot be underestimated; we’ve already seen the local extinction of the severely threatened White-clawed crayfish from the River Wensum due to crayfish plague – which is spread by the non-native American crayfish.
We desperately need a strategic and multi-pronged approach to the way our rivers are used and managed, and changes in planning and transport policies can certainly pave the way.”
Councillor Lucy Galvin is proposing the motion to ensure Norwich’s rare chalk stream river is valued and honoured. It comes at a time when unacceptable levels of sewage have been regularly recorded in the river. As well as a range of actions to improve water quality and biodiversity, her motion asks that in ‘recognition of its natural and cultural significance and to celebrate and share its importance, (the council) investigate whether it is possible to confer any statuses or nominate the river for awards or honours such as freedom of the city in order to actively increase public awareness of its value’. Former recipients of the civic honour include Norfolk Constabulary, Norwich Union, Norwich City Football Club and RAF Marham.
The full text of the motion which will be proposed by Councillor Lucy Galvin and seconded by Councillor Ben Price is below.
The River Wensum is a rare and special chalk stream river, nationally important and listed as SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and SAC (Special Area of Conservation): the highest nature designations possible in the UK. With a total of over 100 species of plants, a rich invertebrate fauna and a relatively natural corridor, it is ‘probably the best whole river of its type in nature conservation terms’ (Natural England SSSI Citation 1993).
Globally, chalk streams are rarer than rainforest. All of the habitats within the SSSI are intrinsically linked. The cold chalk filtered water provides a rare habitat for a rich aquatic world. Rare and vulnerable species include the Desmoulin’s whorl snail, white-clawed crayfish, brook lamprey, and bullhead. Sadly, the white-clawed crayfish, classed as under severe threat from invasive populations, now looks like it has been driven out of the river entirely, very recently, by crayfish plague carried by non-native crayfish.
The river supports an incredible list of species from chub, pike and eel to kingfisher and little grebe; from sedge warblers to barn owls. Communities of plants include water lilies and the nationally scarce water dropwort. Invertebrates including molluscs, water beetles and mayflies abound.
This amazing river flows through our city; protecting us from flooding, providing a natural corridor, cooling our air; a living link with our natural and cultural heritage. Yet the Wensum is particularly under threat from abstraction and urbanisation; pollution from agriculture and industry; and invasive species. It suffers from a lack of understanding; we take it for granted. Development of use of the river is welcomed, but the importance of its biodiversity must, especially in view of increased threats, be recognised, protected and enhanced. It is important to pursue a ‘whole river’ approach to this living part of our cityscape, recognising and linking up and downstream.
Norwich City Council has led the development of the River Wensum Strategy working with the Broads Authority, Norfolk County Council, the Environment Agency and the Wensum River Parkway Partnership, as the River Wensum Strategy Partnership (RWSP). After consultation, the strategy was launched in June 2018 and an updated Delivery Plan was brought to Cabinet in December 2021. This Strategy focuses on the stretch of the River Wensum corridor from the city council boundary at Hellesdon in the west to Whitlingham Country Park in the east. Other work led by external organisations and groups is ongoing for the area upstream of Hellesdon Mill.
In addition to and working alongside the important actions within the River Wensum Strategy, council RESOLVES to:
1. In recognition of its natural and cultural significance and to celebrate and share its importance, investigate whether it is possible to confer any statuses or nominate the river for awards or honours such as freedom of the city in order to actively increase public awareness of its value;
2. Develop its planning policies further to protect biodiversity, mitigate flooding and enhance a wildlife-friendly river frontage;
3. Write to Anglian Water asking for evidence of what is being done to prevent unacceptable levels of human waste in the water from sewage overspill;
4. Work in partnership to:
a) develop and deliver a strategy for signage and other interpretation of the river to increase understanding of its importance, and safe and equal access to its amenity;
b) ensure that any forthcoming biodiversity plan for the city links with and enhances the river and riparian environments;
c) work with an extended set of partners including the Norfolk Rivers Trust and River Wensum Strategy Partnership to make biodiversity a high priority and cross cutting theme of the River Wensum Strategy and seek funding for this;
d) check the policies in the River Wensum strategy and actions and projects in the Delivery Plan for their biodiversity implications, including mitigating against invasive species and the effect of bankside works; and
e) develop a process for community and other groups along the river to bring forward ideas for the strategy and action plan, including finding sources of funding to carry out this work, and publicise this process.
Further information from: Councillor Lucy Galvin 07954 428437 l.galvin@cllr.norwich.gov.uk
Notes:
Norwich Green Party has ten councillors on Norwich City Council, where it forms the main opposition party, and three on Norfolk County Council, representing the wards of Mancroft, Nelson and Thorpe Hamlet in Norwich.
