Halvergate Marshes
The
Halvergate Marshes are situated south of the
River Bure in
Norfolk, within
the Norfolk Broads.
Halvergate Marshes were an
estuary in
Roman times. Around 400 years ago the land was drained and converted to grazing marsh. In the
1980s, further draining was undertaken to convert the area to arable
farming, especially
oil seed rape whose cultivation was encouraged by the then European Community (now the
European Union). Under the
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the EC guaranteed to buy all the oil seed rape produced. This led to overproduction.
All this meant that
wildlife habitats were damaged or lost. The area was then designated as an
Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA), and traditional
marshland grazing and
water level
management was encouraged through cooperation with farmers and landowners. Recently, the
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the local landowner were awarded the designation of a
Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) from
English Nature. The farmer had controlled the water level with two dams linked to freshwater underground
springs; this provided ideal habitats for marshland plants and animals.
The Marshes are dotted with
windpumps, many without sails or even caps. Among the best preserved are Stracey Arms Mill on the
River Bure, Lockgate Mill, Mutton's Mill, High's Mill, Cadge's Mill, Kerrison's Level Mill and Runham Swim Mill.
Part of the area is
RSPB Berney Marshes, a reserve of the
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, adjacent to
Berney Arms village and
Berney Arms windpump.
The village of
Halvergate is to the west of the Marshes.
*
Nitrate Sensitive Area (NSA)
*
Arable Area Payments Scheme *
Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
*
Special Protection Area (SPA)
*
Protected area
