Standing up for Nature

The little River Tas, a rare chalk stream, the jewel of Forncett, has created a wide and rolling valley, rich with wild life, wild flowers, majestic trees.  We need nature.  Nature needs us to take a stand. The pressure on these 'ordinary' places seems to be constant. Locally the Norwich to Tilbury pylon line, the solar 'farms', housing developments, river pollution, intensive agriculture - all threaten the environment so many of us love.  Communities throughout the country face the same challenges.  At last in government determined people are pushing for change.  The Nature's Rights Bill - Natalie Bennett’s private members' bill to introduce Nature's Rights into UK law - was introduced to the House of Lords on 1st June (1).  Recently history was made when the River Wye was granted a Charter of Rights, appointing an ecologist to speak on its behalf (2, 3).  Penalties for rural crime, notably the scourge of hare coursing, have been strengthened from 1 June (4).

There are other statutory protections for nature, many of which are coordinated by Natural England. The National Nature Reserves are supported by Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), County Wildlife Sites (CWS) and a number of other designations. Tree Protection Orders (TPO) and Roadside Nature Reserves (RNR) are identified and managed by District and County Councils. None of these guarantee that valued habitats can't be swept aside for ‘Nationally Important Infrastructure Projects’, but they all provide evidence that local people and organisations care. The threat from Tasway Solar Development is no longer immediate  - this is our chance to protect what we can under its potential footprint and to oppose the parallel solar development East Pye, impacting the Eastern catchment of the River Tas.

Forncett has one SSSI - Forncett Meadows, behind St Peter’s church. According to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) “SSSIs are the finest sites for wildlife and natural features in England, supporting many characteristic, rare and endangered species, habitats and natural features” (5). County Wildlife Sites “represent the minimum habitat we need to protect in order to maintain the current levels of wildlife in Norfolk” (6).  These aim to make sure wildlife can survive in the wider countryside, not just in Nature Reserves.  Land at Brocks Watering and in the Tas Valley are CWSs (7).

Individual trees and groups of trees are also protected.  The Woodland Trust maintains an Ancient Tree Inventory (8) with two notable trees in Forncett – an Oak and a Black Poplar.  Recommending a tree for the inventory is easy.  Tree Protection Orders aim to safeguard trees under threat, for example from Norwich to Tilbury pylon work and potential solar developments.  This can be done through South Norfolk District Councils’ website.  Its excellent map shows the location of protected trees (9). I’ve found them very helpful in protecting 13 trees. National Grids’ interactive map also clearly shows trees and other natural features within their proposed development zone (10) - they may warrant protection.

Forncett has two Roadside Nature Reserves (11) (Valley Farm Road and Common Road). With Norfolk County Councils’ Green Spaces team, these were proposed by FNM supported by plant surveys. The council aims to provide these with a cutting regime which encourages their varied plant species.  Roadside verges form an important part of the network of green corridors connecting habitats.

Anyone can recommend areas or trees for protection and the processes are reasonably straightforward. Take a look at the criteria for CWS outlined, for example, by Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service (12). FNM is happy to help. The Steering Group carries out plant surveys on a few verges every year.  If you’d like to have a go just get in touch.

Our gardens are valuable spaces for nature too and our own front verges are part of the network. Leaving them unmown from May to July gives a surprising variety of plants and insects a chance.  Many landowners do their bit by leaving wide field margins and wildlife friendly corners so please keep to footpaths when you’re out and about so wild things can make the most of them.

Let's make use of the protections there are to look after what we love.

 

Sources

1. Nature’s Rights Bill https://nataliebennett.org/2026/05/18/my-private-members-bill-on-natures-rights/
2. Charter Rights of the River Wye https://democracy.monmouthshire.gov.uk/documents/s44702/10.2%20Rights%20of%20the%20River%20Wye%20Charter.pdf
3. Should Rivers have Rights? C Sharp, 2025. https://forncett.info/activities/forncett-nature-matters/forncett-nature-articles/859-should-nature-have-rights.html
4. Penalties for Hare Coursing https://www.nfuonline.com/news/sentencing-guideline-for-hare-coursing/
5. DEFRA SSSI https://environment.data.gov.uk/dataset/ba8dc201-66ef-4983-9d46-7378af21027e
6. NWT County Wildlife Sites http://www.nbis.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/cwsinfosheet2025.pdf
7. Norfolk Wildlife Partnership - CWS including map https://www.norfolkbiodiversity.org/county-wildlife-sites/
8. Tree Inventory https://ati.woodlandtrust.org.uk/tree-search/?v=3033934&ml=map&z=12.665980480878313&nwLat=52.50846590842701&nwLng=1.0985719588599636&seLat=52.48626884557024&seLng=1.2236411452470293
9. Protected Trees / Map https://www.southnorfolkandbroadland.gov.uk/planning/conservation/trees-hedges/protected-trees/check-if-a-tree-is-protected
10. National Grid Interactive map https://norwichtotilburymap.nationalgrid.com/
11. Roadside Nature Reserves https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/article/57402/Norfolks-Roadside-Nature-Reserves
12. Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service http://www.nbis.org.uk/

 

July 2026